


Pills

by Omnicyde



Series: Chemicals [2]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Drug Addiction, Drug Use, F/F, Family Issues, Rehabilitation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:48:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 120,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24571069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omnicyde/pseuds/Omnicyde
Summary: Medication is supposed to help.Until you abuse it.
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Victoria Chase
Series: Chemicals [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775956
Comments: 322
Kudos: 406





	1. Denial

**January 5 th, 2024**

“Tell me what I said.”

Victoria rubbed her eye, as she sat up in bed. “What?” she asked tiredly, having just been forced awake. “Why?”

“I want to know.” Max stood at the foot of the bed, her breathing coming quickly. “I need you to tell me exactly what I told you, right now.”

“Told me…” Victoria looked at her expectantly. “When, exactly?”

“When I… told you.”

“Told me what?”

“When I proposed!” Max said insistently. “When I told you about my thing!”

“You’ve told me about lot of things.” Victoria held up her fist as she yawned into it, clearly still tired. “And I still don’t understand why. You were there, by your own admission.”

Max tried to calm her breathing, as she inhaled slowly. “Because I don’t remember the past week.”

Victoria blinked, seeming to wake up a little bit. “Wait, what? What the hell do you mean, you don’t remember?”

“It happens when I-” Max stopped. “… just tell me what I told you.”

“No, hang on a damn minute.” Victoria threw off the covers, sitting upright as she looked at Max. “What the hell do you mean, you don’t remember the last week? Where did that come from? Do I need to take you to the hospital?”

“No!” Max exclaimed, exasperated. “You need to tell me what I said!”

“When?!” Victoria asked incredulously, now fully awake. “It’s been a long fucking week, Max! You need to be specific!”

Max paused, her mind racing. “… why did you call me that?” she finally asked carefully.

“Call you what?”

“Your partner in time.”

“… oh.” Victoria paused. “That’s… oh.”

“Oh? Oh, what?”

Victoria bit her lip. “… is this because you keep asking me to stop?”

“Stop what?”

“Calling you that.”

“I asked you to stop?”

Victoria nodded. “You said… I don’t know. You haven’t really given me a straight answer.”

Max exhaled slowly. “… that last person who called me that was Chloe.”

“Really?”

“Yea.”

“So…” Victoria tilted her head. “You have told someone before.”

“Told someone what?”

“About your…” Victoria waved her hand. “… thing.”

“What thing?” Max pressed. “What did I tell you?”

“Jesus Christ, Max!” Victoria exclaimed. “That you can fucking rewind time! What the hell do you think I’m talking about?”

Max stared at her with wide eyes. “I… told you about that?”

“Yes!!” Victoria exclaimed. “Fuck, Max, we spent DAYS talking about it!! I spent half an hour just freaking out about you guessing what eight-digit number I was thinking of! And you don’t remember ANY of it?! Are you kidding me?!”

She wasn’t sure how to respond. Max opened and closed her mouth several times, as Victoria stared at her expectantly. Finally, after several seconds, she walked back towards her and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered.

Victoria blinked. “For what?”

“… everything, I guess,” Max admitted. “I really don’t remember what’s happened over the past week, Victoria. And it’s really, really bothering me.” She looked at the blonde. “Please tell me that you’re not pissed I didn’t tell you before."

“No,” Victoria said immediately. Then paused. “Well, I mean, I was never pissed. But I was freaked out, for a few days.”

“When did I tell you?”

“Okay.” Victoria reached over and took Max’s hand. “Look. If you really don’t remember, I’ll help you. But first, I need you to tell me WHY you don’t remember. Because I have no idea why you wouldn’t, and I’m seriously about to call nine-one-one.”

 _I… guess I didn’t tell her about jumping through photos,_ Max figured. _Probably thought that was a little too much to tell her at once._

“All right,” she agreed. “But… I need you to not be mad.”

“At what?”

“I have to show you something.”

* * *

Half an hour later, they were sitting on the couch. And Victoria had the notebook in her hands.

Max watched her fiancée nervously as the blonde flipped through the pages, slowly and methodically. Finally, she got to the end and closed the book, carefully setting it down on the coffee table.

“I’m officially freaked out again,” she said quietly.

“I figured.” Max took the book back. “Probably why I didn’t tell you before.”

Victoria inhaled slowly. “You can rewind time,” she stated. “And you can jump back through pictures, to mess with the timeline. And you have absolutely no idea how you got these powers.”

Max nodded.

“And you don’t remember anything over the past week?”

“I…” she paused. “I get little flashes. I remember some kind of discussion, but… nothing specific.”

“Okay.” Victoria blew air out her nose. “So… now I’m all caught up.”

“Are you… mad?” Max asked hesitantly.

“I don’t think I’m allowed to be,” Victoria admitted. “I mean, I’m clean because of you and tour powers. I would be a pretty shitty fiancée if I got mad.”

“I meant about not telling you before.”

“Oh.” Victoria paused. “Right. I forgot that you don’t remember.”

Max leaned forward, planting her elbows on her knees. “Will you tell me what happened?” she asked.

“… sure.” Victoria took a breath. “Well… it was a couple of days after you proposed. I had just come back from the studio, and you sat me down on the couch. And you told me that you had something that I needed to hear.”

Like a smack in the head, Max immediately remembered what she’d written in the notebook.

**I’m sure you can figure out what she needs to hear.**

“Great.” She sighed. “Way to be interpretive, past me.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Then what?”

Victoria bit her lip. “You’re… gonna cut me some slack, right?”

“Why?”

* * *

**January 2 nd, 2024**

**Three days prior**

“Because I’m fairly certain that you’re running a high-grade fever.”

Max batted Victoria’s hand away, as the two of them sat on the couch. Victoria had sensed that something was amiss almost as soon as she’d come home from the studio; Max had been waiting for her, clearly worried about something and fidgeting nervously. Her new fiancée had sat her on the couch, and explained in careful words that she’d had a confession to make.

An unbelievable confession.

Which was why Victoria’s hand had been pressed to Max’s forehead.

“I’m not running a fever,” Max insisted. “I’m serious, Victoria. I’m trying to tell you-”

“That you’re a human time machine?” Victoria asked incredulously. “Max, are YOU on drugs?”

“No!”

“Then where the hell is this coming from?”

Max inhaled slowly. “It started back at Blackwell,” she explained. “The week that Chloe was…” she let the sentence hang, before pressing on. “I was in Jefferson’s class, and I-”

“Oh my God, you’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Of course I-”

“No, I mean, you really do believe this,” Victoria clarified. “I thought you were messing with me. Now I’m actually worried.”

“I’m not messing with you!” Max insisted. “I was in Jefferson’s class, and I saw Chloe get shot in the bathroom! But I raised my hand, and I somehow rewound time!”

“No. Enough of this.” Victoria grabbed Max’s shoulders. “Listen to me very carefully. You cannot rewind-”

“Yes I can!” Max threw Victoria’s arms away. “I’m telling you the truth!”

“Fine.” Victoria stuck her hand behind her back. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Two!”

The blonde paused, thrown for a loop. “… wrong.”

“Now it’s three.” Max folded her arms. “You just lifted one.”

Victoria glanced over her shoulder. “You can see my reflection in the window.”

“No I can’t.”

“On the TV, then.”

“For the love of- fine. I figured it would come to this.” Max stood and walked over to her purse, retrieving a pen and a notebook. “Pick a number.”

“Excuse me?”

“Pick a number.” Max pressed the notebook into Victoria’s hands. “Write down whatever number you want. And make it a big one.”

“… you’re kidding.”

Max’s expression indicated that she was dead serious.

Victoria inhaled slowly. “… fine,” she muttered, as she clicked the pen and started scribbling. “But when you get it wrong, I’m taking you to see a doctor, because this isn’t-”

“Eleven million, two-hundred-and-nine thousand, four-hundred and twenty.”

“Wha-” Victoria froze, blinking in astonishment. “… you saw what I wrote.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You must’ve. I don’t know where you learned this trick, but it’s not-”

“Go in there, then.” Max gestured towards their bedroom. “Write it where I can’t possibly see you.”

“Fine.”

Victoria did as the brunette asked, closing the door behind her. Then she poised to start writing.

 _No. She’s got a camera in here somewhere._ She looked around, though she didn’t see one. _She has to have some hidden around here. Only explanation._

_… then how is she looking at the feed?_

_Stop. I’ll make her tell me later._

Victoria threw back the comforter on their bed, climbing under it to hide. She wrote a number in the dark, using the first digits that came to mind, before closing the notebook and climbing back out.

She was approaching the doorknob when she heard Max call out. “Four-hundred-and-seven thousand, eight-hundred and thirty-nine,” her fiancée yelled through the closed door.

_… no fucking way._

Victoria flipped the notebook back open to confirm the number, before she slowly pushed the door open. Max was still sitting on the couch, looking at her expectantly. “No,” Victoria said. “This is-”

“Some kind of magic-”

She stopped as Max started speaking in unison with her.

“How did you-”

“How did you-”

“Stop that!”

“Stop that!”

“Cut it out, Max, this isn’t funny!”

“Cut it out, Max, this isn’t funny!”

“KNOCK IT OFF!!”

“KNOCK IT OFF!!”

Victoria was standing frozen, staring at Max with wide eyes. She had no idea what to do.

“By the way, you’re about to get a text from Taylor,” Max added. “She wants to know if we’re doing anything tomorrow, because she still needs to take us out for lunch to celebrate.”

Victoria grabbed her phone, yanking it from her pocket as she hit the power button. It chimed almost as soon as she unlocked it.

 **Taylor:** Hey, are you and Max doing anything tomorrow? I still need to take you guys for lunch, so we can celebrate!

“No,” Victoria breathed. “No. No way. You can’t do this. This isn’t real.”

“It’s…” Max bit her lip. “Look. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. But I-”

“It’s not real. This isn’t real.” Victoria shoved her phone back into her pocket, then snatched her coat from the hook beside the door. “This isn’t happening. I don’t know what’s going on, but this isn’t real.”

“Victoria, what are you-”

She ignored Max, as she strode for the door to the condo, pushing through it without another word.

* * *

_This is a dream. It has to be._

Victoria had made it to the street, and turned to start walking. She paid no attention to the direction she was headed in, lost in her thoughts.

_This must be. People can’t just… time travel. It’s not possible._

_That’s it. I must be dreaming._

Victoria pinched her left wrist, squeezing as hard as she could. After several seconds, she stopped, hissing at the pain that she couldn’t take anymore.

_I’m not dreaming._

_Or maybe I am. Fuck, for all I know, that pinching yourself crap is bullshit._

_Yea. I must be dreaming._

_Or Max really did learn some fucking insane magic trick._

Victoria’s phone buzzed again. She didn’t look at it. Max had been texting her two or three times a minute, ever since she’d left.

_Ok, if it was magic, how could she have done it? No way she could’ve seen me write that second number._

_Maybe it was some kind of magic notepad. It somehow read what I wrote, and sent it to her phone. Then she- no. Shit. Her phone was still on the charger._

_There must have been another computer somewhere. Maybe in her shoe, and it tapped out some kind of signal for her to… no, she took them off when we got home._

_Then she must have used some kind of mind trick. Some sort of hypnosis. She knew what I was going to write before I wrote it. And say before I said it._

_Oh my God, I am reaching so hard right now._

_Doesn’t matter. There is an explanation for what happened. She can’t time travel. It’s not possible._

Victoria exhaled slowly, squeezing her eyes closed as she came to a stop.

_… it’s not possible._

When she opened them, she saw that she was standing in front of the pub they lived near. Irish Joe’s. The one she made it a point to avoid.

_Fuck it. This is all a dream anyway. Booze doesn’t count if it’s in a dream. And I could really fuckin’ use some._

She pushed her way inside, making her way through the interior. The bar wasn’t overly crowded, and the atmosphere was pretty quiet, so the bartender met her as she sat down. “What can I get you?” the red-headed girl asked.

“Vodka,” She replied hollowly, the order slipping off her tongue like she has never stopped drinking. “Grey Goose. And a splash of tonic water, please.”

The bartender nodded as she retrieved the bottle, mixing the cocktail quickly. The drink was in front of her in less than a minute.

Even in a dream, she was still hesitant to drink it.

_It doesn’t count. Might as well enjoy it._

She reached out slowly, wrapping her hand around the glass.

Another hand slammed down on top of it before she could lift the drink. She spun her head to see Max standing beside her. The brunette was breathing raggedly, like she’d just finished sprinting.

“What…” she struggled to draw breath, gasping between words. “… the hell… are… you doing?!”

“What-” Victoria did a double-take. “How did you find me?!”

“How… the fuck… do you think?!”

“… right.” She let go of the glass, rubbing her face. “I’m still dreaming.”

“You’re not dreaming!!” Max exclaimed, sucking in a deep breath. “This isn’t a damn dream! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“I don’t know!” Victoria shot back. “Everything was normal this morning, before you started reading my fucking mind!”

“I’m not-” Max paused, looking around. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“But-”

“No. Not here.” Max threw a couple of bills onto the bar. “We’re leaving.”

* * *

“I’m really not dreaming.”

Max shook her head. The two of them had started slowly walking back to the condo in silence, Victoria lost in her mind until she spoke.

“No,” Max said softly. “This isn’t a dream.”

“You really can rewind time.”

“Yes.”

Victoria took a slow breath. “So… you knew I was about to drink?”

Max nodded. “You, uh, called me after,” she explained. “Told me what you did. And, uh, you were pretty upset about throwing away four years of sobriety. I rewound as far back as I could and started running.”

“Yea, I guess I would’ve been.” Victoria dropped her gaze. “I’m sorry.”

“… no.” Max shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

“I should’ve… I don’t know. Told you before.”

Victoria looked up at her. “Why are you telling me now?” she asked. “We’ve been together for years. Why all of the sudden?”

“I guess I figured it was about time,” Max answered quietly. “I mean… we’re getting married.” She paused. “We still are, right?”

“I…” Victoria hesitated. The silence stretched out over several seconds.

Eventually, Max stopped walking. Victoria stopped too, after a few more steps, and turned to face the brunette. “… aren’t we?” Max asked, the anxiety clear in her voice.

Victoria looked at the ground between them. “… this is a lot, Max. And I don’t know what to do with it.”

“… what does that mean?”

“I don’t know.” Victoria bit her lip, as she gathered her thoughts. “I love you. That hasn’t changed. But I’m not sure about anything else anymore.”

Max nodded slowly. “What do you want?” she asked. “What can I say? Or do?”

“I don’t know that, either.” Victoria rubbed her eyes. “Can we just go home? I don’t want to be out here anymore. I need to think.”

“… okay.”


	2. The Tell

**January 3 rd, 2024**

**Two days earlier**

Victoria was pretty sure neither of them had slept very well.

Her mind had raced for most of the night, as she’d struggled to come to terms and accept Max’s abilities. So much that sleep had been impossible to come by. Max, too, had squirmed through most of the night as she lay in Victoria’s arms, in her usual position as the little spoon.

The sun was coming through their window when Victoria finally broke the silence. “Did I tell you what the numbers were?”

Max turned her head slightly. “Hmm?”

“Last night. When you told me what I’d written down,” Victoria clarified quietly. “How did you know what the numbers were? Did I tell you?”

“… no,” Max answered. “I had to take the notebook from you, because you refused to tell me.”

“I did?”

Max nodded. “The first time, you were giving me grief about worrying you for no good reason,” she explained. “I had to wrestle it away from you. The second time, I had to ambush you when you opened the bedroom door.”

“And then you rewound?”

“Yea.”

“Why didn’t you just ask me?”

Max rolled over, so she was facing the blonde. “I did. Both times.”

“What did I say?”

“I tried to explain that I had to see it, so that I could rewind and give you the number.” Max sighed. “You, uh… weren’t having it. Refused to believe me and accused me of making it up. I had to rewind a couple of times.”

“So… if I thought of another number now, and promised to tell you, could you do it again?”

Max nodded.

“Okay.” Victoria paused. “So… what is it?”

“Six-hundred and thirty-one.”

She did a double take. “… whoa.”

Max couldn’t help but smirk. “You still didn’t believe me?”

“No, I did. It was…” Victoria peered closer. “Your face just did this… thing.”

“What thing?”

“Like, your whole face just went out of focus or something for half a second. It got totally blurry.”

Max blinked. “It did?”

“Yea.” Victoria scooted closer. “What number am I thinking about now?”

“Six-hundred and thirty-two.”

“… you did it again.”

Max sat up in bed. “Are you serious right now?”

“Yea. Did you not know that happened?”

“No!” Max turned, pushing herself out of bed as she ran for the bathroom. “I can’t see it!” she exclaimed after a few seconds.

Victoria got up, following Max. The brunette was staring at the mirror intently, like she was trying to see through it, with her hand raised. As Victoria watched, Max’s face became a soft blur, almost like she was watching through a camera lens that went out of focus. It didn’t last long; if she’d blinked, she probably would’ve missed it. But once she saw it, it was difficult to ignore.

Max’s face repeated the process several times in a row. “You can’t see that?” Victoria finally asked.

“Am I still doing it?”

“Are you rewinding every few seconds?”

“Yes!” Max glared at the mirror, and Victoria saw her do it twice more, before the brunette turned to face her. “Are you messing with me? Is my face really going out of focus?”

“Only for a little bit,” Victoria affirmed. “Like, less than a second. You didn’t know you did that?”

“Nobody’s ever told me!” Max looked back at the mirror, her face doing it again. “Dammit, I still can’t see it!”

“It might be because you’re the one doing it?” Victoria offered.

“Maybe?” Max huffed. “Dammit. I had no idea.”

Victoria smirked. “I guess you have a tell.”

“… I guess so,” Max admitted. “Crap. Now I can’t stop thinking about it.” She glanced back at Victoria. “You’ve never seen me do it before?”

“N- wait.” Victoria frowned. “How many times have you rewound time in front of me?”

Max blinked, an apprehensive look coming over her face. “Why?”

“Because you sound surprised that I haven’t seen it before. Do you do it that often?”

“No,” Max answered immediately.

“Really?” Victoria crossed her arms. “You don’t go back to win arguments? Or… I don’t know, make yourself look smarter or something?”

“I don’t.” Max shook her head vehemently. “I swear, Victoria, I barely use them around you.”

Victoria studied Max intently, before exhaling a slow breath through her nose. “… right.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“I don’t have a choice BUT to believe you.” Victoria shook her head. “Not like I can prove you wrong.”

Max bit her lip, seemingly unsure of what to say.

“I’m hungry. And I don’t feel like cooking.” Victoria unfolded her arms. “Get dressed. We’re going out for breakfast.”

* * *

“When do you use them?”

Max looked up from her coffee. The two of them were sitting across from each other at a diner near their condo. “My… powers?”

Victoria nodded. “You said you barely use them around me. When do you use them?”

“Mostly when I’m working with patients.” Max shrugged. “To avoid arguments or shorten conversations.”

“… including me?”

Max hesitated, before nodding.

Victoria leaned forward. “How often did you do it, back when I was at rehab?” she asked. “Or when you were my Sober Companion?”

“A fair amount, at the rehab center,” Max admitted quietly. “Not as much when we got to the condo.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t really need to.”

Victoria pursed her lips. “What did you rewind?”

Max took a sip of her coffee before she answered. “That argument we had in the cafeteria, after you detoxed. That was a big one.”

“When I tried to leave?”

“Yea.” Max gave a half-smirk. “It took a while to figure out that bluffing about your condo would keep you there.”

Victoria didn’t return the smirk. “When else?” she pressed.

“Um… when we went for that walk around the lake.” Max paused. “And that conversation, where you finally told me what you did to Taylor. And when Kate came to see you.”

“What about when my parents came?”

“… then, too,” Max admitted. “You… I was trying to keep you and your dad from fighting about-”

“And when we got to the condo?” Victoria interrupted. “Then what?”

“Why?” Max asked guardedly. “What does it matter?”

“Because if I was being manipulated, I want to know what I was being manipulated into,” Victoria said shortly. “Or out of.”

Max blinked. “I… you think I was being manipulative?”

“Don’t YOU?” Victoria asked incredulously. “You went back with all the right answers to everything we talked about. You poked and prodded all of our conversations to make me do whatever you wanted. You don’t think that was a little unfair?!”

A hurt look came over the brunette’s face, and she dropped her gaze. “… I was just trying to help,” she muttered.

“Shit.” Victoria sighed. “… yea. I know you were. I’m sorry.”

“Are you mad?”

“No.” Victoria rubbed her face. “I just… I don’t know. I feel… robbed.”

“Robbed?” Max looked back up. “Why?”

“Because I thought I did so good, kicking my coke habit. I’ve been so proud of what I was able to do.” Victoria shook her head. “And now it feels like I don’t deserve it.”

An incredulous look came over Max’s face. Before Victoria could stop her, she reached out and flicked her finger against the blonde’s nose.

“OW!!” Victoria clasped her hand to her face. “What the hell?!”

“Don’t EVER say that,” Max said sternly, as she glared. “I don’t care how you’re feeling, or how much you hate me. Don’t ever discount what you were able to.”

“I only did it because-”

“The only thing I did was help you figure out what your real issues were. You busted your ass to get clean, and I’ll be damned if you don’t take credit for kicking your habit.” Max stuck a finger in Victoria’s face. “Don’t you DARE go around disregarding all the hard work you put in, or so help me God a hurt nose will be the least of your problems.”

Victoria wilted under Max’s look. “Okay, okay,” she said defensively. “Jesus. Way to turn the conversation around on me.”

“… yea.” Max took her hand back. “Sorry.”

“Wait.” Victoria tilted her head. “How much I hate you?”

Max squirmed. “Um… yea?”

“Okay, come here, so I can flick YOUR nose.”

“Look, Victoria, I can tell that you’re upset-”

“Of course I am,” she snapped. “I’ve just found out that you’re been hiding a superpower from me for the last four-and-a-half years. And that you used it to manipulate me, good intentions aside.” She paused. “… that doesn’t mean that I don’t still want to marry you.”

“You… do?” Max asked hopefully.

Victoria nodded.

The brunette let out a shaky breath. “… you have no idea how badly I needed to hear that.”

“Yea.” Victoria looked back at her coffee. “Like I said before… this is a lot. And I’m pretty sure that I’m still processing it. Like… holy shit, my fiancée can really rewind time.” She picked her head back up. “But I spent most of last night, thinking about it. And while I might not be entirely comfortable with what’s happening right now… I still love you.”

Max swallowed, before reaching across the table for Victoria’s hand. The blonde let her take it, their fingers interlacing. “I love you too,” Max said quietly. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. And that you feel manipulated.”

Victoria squeezed Max’s hand. “Thank you.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Mm.” Victoria slowly tilted her head. “… would you consider taking me to Vegas?”

Max smirked. “No.”

“Why? We could hit the roulette tables and clean up.”

“Because that’s cheating.”

“Ah ha.” Victoria leaned backwards. “Good to know where your morals stop.”

Max shook her head, letting out a long sigh. “We still have to pick what we want to eat,” she lamented, picking up her menu. “Any idea what you want?”

“I’m torn.” Victoria looked down at her menu, still on the table in front of her. “I kinda want the eggs benedict. But at the same time, the ranchos huevos look really good.”

“Tough choice,” Max agreed. “I’m getting waffles.”

“Of course you…” Victoria’s voice trailed off, as she looked back up at Max. “… how far can you rewind?”

Max frowned. “Why?”

“Because maybe I can order one, and you could tell me if I like it or not.” Victoria leaned forward. “You can do that, right?”

“… no.” Max smirked. “Furthest back I’ve ever gone is a couple of minutes, maybe five. Pretty sure it’ll take longer than that to get your food.”

“Aw.” Victoria pouted. “But I don’t know what I want.”

“I’m confident in your ability to make a good choice.”

* * *

“… should’ve gone for the eggs benedict.”

Max smirked as the two of them walked back to the condo. “Next time.”

“Yea.” Victoria shrugged. “You should stretch that time limit. Get it all the way out to, like, twenty minutes.”

“What in the world would I do with that?”

“You could sample every entrée in any restaurant you went to.”

“Mm.” Max considered that answer. “That’s… appealing.”

“I know.” Victoria grinned. “My genius really is astonishing.”

“Sure is, babe.” Max looked sideways at her. “You seem to be coming around to… all this.”

Victoria sighed. “I… guess now that I’m starting to accept it, I’m coming up with all the cool things I could do if I was able to rewind time at will,” she allowed.

“Like what?” Max asked curiously. “Aside from eating all the food you could.”

“I mean, I mentioned Vegas already.” Victoria looked up in thought. “You could try all the different combinations to a bank vault, until you got in. Same thing with people’s ATM cards. Or their home security systems.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Have you come up with anything that wouldn’t get you arrested?”

“I’m sure I could.” Victoria perked up. “Oh, you could be the person on the other end of my earpiece, who tells me what to do when I’m breaking into a museum. Like, if I break that window, I’ll set off the alarm.”

“Victoria, I’m pretty sure you’d set off an alarm if you broke ANY window in a-”

“Or if we were in a police chase!” Victoria kept going. “Like, we’ve gone totally Grand Theft Auto, and we’re on the run from the cops. You could keep us ahead of the pursuit, and from getting arrested!”

“Why in the world are we getting chased by-”

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to Vegas? Because we could totally clean UP at the table games.”

Max sighed. “So we’re using my powers for evil.”

“Maybe more like self-serving.” Victoria waggled her eyebrows. “Partners in crime. Like Bonnie and- ooh! No! Partners in TIME!” she exclaimed.

“Partners in… time?”

“Yep. That’s TOTALLY what the FBI would call us if we ever got on their radar.” She smirked. “Man, I would’ve been great at naming serial killers.”

“… yea.”

Victoria stopped talking, looking at Max. She noticed that her fiancée’s eyes had gone distant. “Are you okay?”

Max shook her head. “Can we come up with a different name?” she asked. “Not sure if I like that one.”

“Too late.” Victoria reached around and squeezed Max’s shoulder. “I’ve decided that I like it. My little partner in time.”

“Seriously, Victoria.” Max paused. “And what do you mean, little?”

“If I have to explain it to you, you’re gonna feel really dumb.”

* * *

**January 5 th, 2024**

“You’ve asked me to stop a couple of times since then.”

Max exhaled slowly. “You didn’t?”

Victoria shrugged. “Like I said, you got kind-of weird about it when I asked. But you never mentioned that Chloe used to call you that.”

“… she was the only other person I’ve ever told.” Max looked down at her lap. “I don’t like thinking about that week.”

“That…” Victoria frowned. “Wait a minute. I thought you hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to Chloe, between you coming back to Arcadia Bay and her getting shot. When did you tell her about your rewinding powers?”

Max looked back up. “Did I not tell you about what happened?”

“No. You haven’t mentioned Chloe until this morning.”

“Ah.” Max bit her lip. “… that week was a lot more complicated than you think.”

“What does that mean?”

Max wrestled with herself for several seconds, as she tried to come up with an answer.

_You’ve never told anyone before._

_And the last time you tried, you couldn’t even finish putting words together._

_…_

_She deserves to know._

_And I can’t keep pretending that it didn’t happen._

“… do you promise to cut me some slack too?” Max asked quietly. “I’ve never told anyone before. And it’s… it’s really, really hard to talk about.”

Victoria studied her intently, before reaching out and taking Max’s hand. “I promise,” she agreed. “Please tell me what happened.”

* * *

It was the first time in close to a decade that Max had told anyone the truth of the week that never was.

The first dream, of the storm. Then waking up, and saving Chloe from Nathan in the bathroom, after that Monday afternoon class. And telling Principal Wells about Nathan’s gun, despite his obvious disbelief.

The following hour, of her trying to get into the dorms for Warren’s flash drive.

“ _Wait, you really said that to me?_ ”

“ _Yea._ ”

“ _Even after I was a bitch?_ ”

“ _I’d already gotten you covered in paint. Figured I didn’t need to rub salt in the wound._ ”

The ensuing drama, between Juliet and Dana, and Max breaking into Victoria’s room for the proof of her prank.

“ _You broke into my room?_ ”

“ _It wasn’t locked, Victoria._ ”

“ _Well, I never figured anyone would have the balls to break in._ ”

The confrontation between her, Nathan, and Warren in the parking lot. Then the fight that she narrowly managed to escape, culminating in her jumping into Chloe’s truck.

Hanging out and reconnecting at her best friend’s house. The altercation between Chloe and David.

“ _Jesus, he really hit her?_ ”

“ _I felt really bad, for not trying to stop it._ ”

“ _You shouldn’t. Nothing good would’ve come from it._ ”

Making their way to the lighthouse. Max passing out again, having the second dream about the storm. With the realization that it was coming that Friday.

Listening to Chloe tell her about getting drugged by Nathan.

“ _… I had no idea._ ”

“ _Nobody did, Victoria._ ”

Telling Chloe about her new powers. Then the unexpected snowfall.

Waking up the next morning. Listening to Victoria and Taylor make fun of Kate, then writing the URL for the video on the mirror. Finding a depressed Kate in her bedroom later.

“ _Christ, I really was such a bitch._ ”

“ _You didn’t know what was going to happen._ ”

“ _Know… what was going to happen?_ ”

“ _… I’ll get to that."_

Having breakfast at the Two Whales. Proving to Chloe that her powers were real. Their trip out to the town dump. The confrontation between them and Frank.

“ _You tried to shoot him?_ ”

“ _… he was pretty scary._ ”

“ _Still. I mean… Jesus. I don’t know if I could ever do that._ ”

“ _Like I said, I was scared._ ”

“ _I guess._ ”

Max saving Chloe’s life from the train, as they walked down the tracks. Then making her way back to school. Kate crying after her conversation with Jefferson. A confrontation between her, Nathan, and Victoria in the classroom.

Zach running in to tell everyone about the girl’s dorm.

“ _… oh my God._ ”

“ _Yea._ ”

“ _Did she…_ ”

“ _No. I was able to talk her down._ ”

“ _Oh, shit, Max._ ”

“ _Yea._ ”

“ _That’s why she wrote that note. The one they found in her trash can._ ”

“ _I think so._ ”

“ _… I almost made her jump off the roof._ ”

“ _It was a long time ago, Victoria._ ”

“ _Fuck, Max, that doesn’t make me feel any better._ ”

“ _It didn’t happen. None of this actually happened._ ”

“ _Yes. It did. Just because you fixed everything doesn’t mean that I wasn’t still the world’s biggest bitch._ ”

“ _… can we just…"_

“ _… yea._ ”

The discussion in Wells’ office, where Nathan finally got suspended. The unexpected solar eclipse in the sky. Max sneaking out later that night, then eavesdropping on Victoria and Jefferson.

“ _Did I really say that to him?_ ”

“ _You were thirsting pretty hard for that San Francisco trip._ ”

“ _God, that makes my skin crawl._ ”

“ _Would you actually have…_ ”

“ _… let’s not go there._ ”

The two girls breaking into Wells’ office and finding evidence they needed on Nathan. Then breaking into the Blackwell pool, and almost getting caught by the security guard. Max spending the night with Chloe.

The dare she’d gotten the next morning.

“ _Damn. Sounds like Chloe was thirsty, too._ ”

“ _Maybe._ ”

“ _Tell me the truth. Did you rewind?_ ”

“ _Did I… what?_ ”

“ _Did you rewind? To kiss her more than once?_ ”

“ _Know what? We’re not gonna go there, either._ ”

Having breakfast with Joyce and Chloe. The huge fight between the three of them, culminating in David getting kicked out of the house. Then going to the Two Whales diner, and breaking into Frank Bower’s RV.

“ _Jesus, Max, right on the floor?_ ”

“ _God, you should’ve seen him slip and bust his ass._ ”

“ _Did he really?_ ”

“ _Screaming the whole_ _time, about how he was eating those beans. It was hilarious._ ”

“ _Man, I wish I could’ve seen that._ ”

“ _I know. I rewound so I could do it twice._ ”

Discovering proof of Rachel being involved with Frank. Chloe’s subsequent rant in the truck, on their way back to Blackwell. Max sitting in her room later that evening, and watching herself get lost in the instant photo she’d taken before Chloe’s father had died.

Finding herself back in the past. Deciding to try and change the future for the better.

And then, between the dead whales and going to Chloe’s house, finding how that she’d done much, much worse.

“ _You… really did it?_ ”

“ _… yes. I did._ ”

“ _Jesus, Max. I don’t know how anybody could ever make that choice._ ”

“ _You didn’t see her. How much pain she was in. Or the look in her eyes, when she begged me to do it._ ”

“ _Still._ ”

“ _I’d also already decided that I was going back. So… it felt like whatever decision I made didn’t really matter._ ”

“ _… okay. So, then what?_ ”

Searching for clues about Rachel’s disappearance. Breaking into David’s locker. Visiting Kate at the hospital, then going to Blackwell to break into Nathan’s room.

Then the fight between Warren and Nathan.

“ _Man, I never would’ve figured Warren had it in him._ ”

“ _Well, Nathan did beat him up pretty bad that Monday._ ”

Meeting Frank and convincing him to give up his client list. Finally gathering everything they needed to locate the bunker on the Prescott land, and finding out the horrible truth about Nathan and Rachel.

Chloe finding her best friend’s body, buried haphazardly in an unmarked grave.

The immediate drive to the End Of The World party, to find Nathan and take revenge under the light of two moons. Max manipulating her way into the VIP area at the party, and her conversation with Victoria before the contest winner was announced.

“ _I really said that?_ ”

“ _Yep._ ”

“ _Huh._ ”

“ _What? Do you not believe me?_ ”

“ _I mean, you’re not wrong. Even with all the shit I gave you, I did think you were pretty talented. I just never thought I would’ve ever said it out loud._ ”

“ _I know. I figured we might actually be friends, later._ ”

Driving back to the junkyard after receiving the text they thought was from Nathan. Feeling the needle stick into her neck. Slowly falling unconscious, as Chloe fell to the ground with a bullet hole in her head.

Passing out while Jefferson stood over her. Waking later in the bunker, tied to a chair. And seeing that she wasn’t alone.

“ _I was there too?!_ ”

“ _Yea. Jefferson… he had a binder with your name on it._ ”

“ _… he did?_ ”

“ _Right next to mine. And Rachel’s._ ”

“ _Oh, God._ ”

“ _Are you okay?_ ”

“ _No. I think I might be about to puke._ ”

“ _Do you want to-_ ”

“ _What happened to me?_ ”

“ _… I think he killed you._ ”

“ _You… think?_ ”

“ _I never saw your body. But I saw your bracelet, later. I… think he took it as a trophy._ ”

“ _… Jesus, Max._ ”

“ _I’m sorry._ ”

“ _Don’t. Just… keep going._ ”

Getting rescued by David, and running into town to try and find the photo that would let her fix everything. Saving the Two Whales from being blown up. Making her way to Warren, and getting the photo from him to go back and warn Chloe. The new timeline, where Nathan and Jefferson were arrested after David went to the police with what he had.

Coming back to the beach with Chloe, the two of them facing the storm as the tornado spun over Arcadia Bay. Fleeing in an attempt to avoid the worst of it.

Collapsing. Nightmares. Arguing with herself.

Waking to Chloe carrying her the rest of the way to the lighthouse. Seeing the full scale of the tornado, and the destruction it was about to wreck on the town.

Chloe’s desperate begging, for Max to fix everything. To take it all back.

“ _… Max?_ ”

“ _I know._ ”

“ _Do you want a tissue?_ ”

“ _No._ ”

“ _… I am so sorry._ ”

“ _… me too._ ”

One last kiss, before Max went back to the bathroom and let her friend die.

* * *

She finished the story with her head in Victoria’s lap. Tears were silently streaming down her face, though she did her best to keep her voice at an even level.

Victoria had an arm comfortingly around Max’s shoulder, squeezing her hand painfully tight. Her other hand held Max’s head. “… shit,” she breath, after several seconds. “I can’t imagine ever having to make that kind of choice, Max.”

“It…” Max paused, sniffling. “It really, really sucked.”

Victoria exhaled slowly. They sat silently for several minutes, the tears slowly stopping as Max sniffled quietly.

“… why did the storm go away?” Victoria asked quietly.

“I don’t know.” Max pushed herself upright, thought Victoria kept her grip on the brunette’s hand. “I think saving Chloe’s life, on that Monday, caused the storm.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know that, either.” Max shrugged. “Warren told me that it might’ve been because I used my powers to go back in time and save a life. And I’m pretty sure he was right.”

“How do you know?” Victoria asked. “I mean, Warren is pretty damn smart. But this doesn’t seem like something anyone’s an expert in.”

Max bit her lip. “… because I did it again.”

Victoria did a double-take. “You did?”

“A few months later.” Max looked at her. “I started listening to a police scanner on my phone. And I heard a report called in, about a guy getting killed in a bar fight. So I rewound and called the cops to the bar early, to save his life.”

“And… then what?”

Max sighed. “It started snowing again, the next day. When it was in the seventies. And the day after, there was another solar eclipse.”

“Ah.” Victoria leaned back into the couch. “Yea, that seems like a pattern.”

“I thought so.” Max dropped her gaze. “… I went back through a photo and un-did it. And when I came back, the snow and eclipse had never happened.”

“… but the guy died,” Victoria stated plainly.

“… yea. He did.”

“So… you can rewind and photo-jump all you want,” she clarified. “You just can’t save anyone’s life. Or else the storm will come back.”

“I’m pretty sure.” Max nodded. “It hasn’t happened since.”

“Have you ever tried again?”

Max hesitated. “… I thought about it. Once.”

“You did? Who…” Victoria’s voice trailed off. “Hector.”

“Uh huh.”

“Christ.”

“I know.” Max rubbed her nose. “… I’m sorry.”

“No. Hey. Don’t.” Victoria squeezed Max’s hand. “It was him or an entire town, Max. And Seattle is a lot bigger than Arcadia Bay. I mean, Jesus, I can’t imagine how hard it is to make that decision, but when you look at the math, it’s an easy decision to make. And…” she hesitated. “Honestly, Max, if Kate knew about this, she’d probably agree.”

Max snorted. “I doubt it,” she muttered. “She’d probably never want to see me again.”

Victoria sighed. “… let’s just hope we never have to find out for sure.”

“Agreed.” Max glanced at the blonde. “… please tell me you still want to get married.”

“Huh?”

“I really, really need to hear that you still want to get married,” Max said. “Even with all my messed-up baggage, and secret superpowers.”

Victoria gave the brunette a small half-smirk, before lifting her hand and kissing Max’s knuckles. “I love you,” she stated. “Baggage and superpowers aside, you got me where I am now. My life is a million times better with you in it."

Max smiled. “… really?”

“Yes.” Victoria nodded. “And I look forward to helping each other with our mental baggage for the rest of our lives.”

“Oh, good,” Max snorted. “When you put it that way, how can I refuse?”


	3. Dinner

**January 5 th, 2024**

“Seriously, babe, what you’re wearing is fine.”

Max nervously adjusted her blouse, as Victoria drove them to the restaurant in her car. When her photography studio had finally started taking off, one of the first major purchases she’d made was a vehicle, to drive herself to photo shoots and weddings. The studio’s contact information was stenciled into both sides of the white Prius they were now riding in.

“You’re sure?” Max asked nervously. “I’ve never been to this place before.”

“We’re there as my father’s guests,” Victoria assured her. “We could probably show up wearing garbage bags as shirts, and they’d still let us in.”

Max snorted, as she briefly entertained that mental image. “You father would definitely have something to say about that, if we did.”

“Which is why we’re both dressed appropriately.” Victoria cocked her head, as she took a corner. “Why are you so nervous, anyway? It’s not like it’s the first time you’re meeting him. You already know my parents love you.”

The brunette squirmed. “I, uh… I didn’t get his permission to ask you,” she admitted. “Before I proposed.”

Victoria blinked. “You… wait, THAT’S what you’re worried about?” she asked incredulously. “Are you being serious right now?”

“I don’t-”

“Oh, no, how dare my daughter’s girlfriend not ask me for her hand in marriage,” Victoria mocked as she rolled her eyes. “As punishment, not only will I decide that the girl who made my family whole again is no longer in my good graces, but I will decrease the dowry by six goats, four chickens, and no less than eight blankets.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Bold of you to assume that you’re worth livestock.”

“Oof.” Victoria put a hand to her chest. “That one hurt a little.”

“I know they probably won’t be upset.” Max sighed. “But… you’re their only kid. Nobody else will ever get to ask them.”

“They’ll be fine.” Victoria turned into the restaurant lot, heading towards the valet. “And even if they’re not, they’ll get over it.”

* * *

“This really is a lovely ring.”

Victoria grinned, as Mary held her hand while examining the engagement ring. “Max did good?”

“Max did OUTSTANDING,” her mother emphasized, looking at the brunette. “I love how the sapphires frame the diamond. It makes it look very extravagant.”

“I know.” Max nodded, smiling. “That was the reason I picked it.”

“Well, you made a good choice.”

“Yes, you did,” Derek agreed, as he sipped from his cup of coffee. They had since finished their very fancy dinner, and were winding down while chatting after desert. “Although I do kind-of wish you’d seen us, first.”

Max winced, dropping her gaze. “… sorry,” she muttered. “I, uh, didn’t think to ask until after I did it.”

“Think to- oh! Oh, no, Max, that wasn’t what I meant,” Derek said quickly. “God, I didn’t mean it like that, I’m so sorry.”

“Yea, thanks, Dad,” Victoria said dryly.

Max elbowed her, as she looked at Derek. “Then…”

“We have a ring from Mary’s family that has an heirloom diamond,” Derek explained. “Don’t get me wrong, you picked an amazing ring. It just might’ve been a little less expensive if you had the jeweler set your own stone.”

“Ah.” Max smirked. “Still.”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Please, Max, you know I’m not THAT old fashioned.”

“Honey, that stone isn’t exactly a quality diamond,” Mary reminded him. “I think the one on Victoria’s finger is actually a better clarity.”

“That’s because your mother’s diamond hasn’t been polished for a couple of decades. But I digress.” Derek nodded towards Victoria’s finger. “It looks incredible. And I think I can speak for both of us when I say that I can’t tell you two how thrilled we are.”

Victoria took Max’s hand, interlacing their fingers. “Us too.”

“Have you had any thoughts about the wedding?” Mary asked. “I know it’s early, but…”

Max and Victoria exchanged glances. “Not really,” Max admitted.

“Yea, I think we’re still just…” Victoria paused, searching for the word. “Basking, I guess.”

“We did decide on bridesmaids,” Max offered. “And a flower girl. But beyond that, we don’t have anything picked.”

“Ah ha.” Derek nodded. “That… might be a good thing.”

Max tilted her head. “Why?”

“Well…” Derek set his drink down, scooting his chair in. “We were hoping to discuss the wedding early, before you two made any firm decisions.”

“What about?” Victoria asked. “I mean, like we said, we haven’t thought that far ahead.”

Derek took a slow breath, rubbing his chin as he gathered his thoughts. “You’re my daughter,” he started. “This will be the only wedding you’ll ever have. And as I’m sure you remember, I have close, amicable relationships with a number of very important people. Relationships that are built on celebrating each other’s public and personal jubilations.”

Max frowned. “What does that mean?”

“That means, Max, that my wife and I are constantly invited to the weddings of our friend’s and colleague’s children,” he stated. “Colleagues who will know that Victoria is getting married. And we would be incredibly remiss if we didn’t extend them the same courtesy.”

“The same courtesy?” Victoria asked. “Does… wait, did you just hijack our wedding?”

“No!” said Derek and Mary in unison.

“It is still very much your wedding,” Mary continued quickly. “It’s your day. We certainly don’t want to take it away from either of you.”

“But,” Derek added, “There are people we would like to invite, to share your day with.”

“… how many people?” Victoria asked guardedly.

“Not many. Probably a hundred and fifty or so.”

Max blinked, staring at Derek. “That’s… your definition of not many?”

He smirked. “Max, the last wedding we went to had over five hundred guests.”

“… okay.” Max leaned back in her chair, a look of shock on her face. “Jesus, I don’t think I even know five hundred people.”

“Well, the groom’s father was a very prestigious member of the English Parliament. Men like that tend to travel in rather large circles.”

“Um.” Victoria scratched the back of her neck. “Not to, you know, be super-materialistic or anything. But I don’t think we were imaging inviting more that forty or fifty people. I’m assuming that kind of request means you guys would pay for it, right?”

“Of course we would.” Derek looked at her incredulously. “We certainly wouldn’t expect you two to pay for a party of that size and nature.”

“Not to mention that we want you both to have the wedding you want, not just the wedding you can afford,” Mary added. “Besides, you’re still getting your studio off the ground. You shouldn’t have to worry about affording to pay for a wedding while trying to start a new business.”

Victoria and Max looked at each other, apprehensive looks on both their faces. “… what do you think?” Victoria asked carefully.

“I…” Max paused. “We are still paying off your company car. And… saving for my thing.”

Derek tilted his head. “What thing?” he asked curiously.

“Nothing. Just something I was talking to a few people about.” Max chewed on her lip. “If you guys are paying for the wedding, then… adding your own friends to the guest list is fair.” She looked back at Victoria. “I guess I don’t really have a problem with it.”

“I… don’t think I do, either.” Victoria looked back at her parents. “Though to be honest, aside from you guys, Max’s parents, and our friends? I don’t think we’ll really know anyone else there.”

Derek shrugged. “You certainly don’t have to hang out with any of them,” he assured her. “Maybe thank them for coming, when they leave their wedding gifts. Most of them will likely spend the time talking to each other.”

“Wedding gifts?”

“Yes. If you guys decide to register somewhere, we can pass it along. But they’ll probably just write checks.”

Max looked at him, dumbfounded. “But we don’t know them.”

“It doesn’t matter. There’s proper etiquette for weddings, at our level of wealth.” He leaned back in his chair. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you guys walked away with close to a hundred grand or so. Maybe more.”

“A hundred-” Max did a double take. “Seriously?”

“Yep.” Derek nodded. “So, you two on board?”

Victoria scoffed, looking sideways. “I guess we’d be idiots if we weren’t.”

“Oh, we’re so glad to hear that,” Mary said sincerely. “We really do want you guys to have the best wedding day possible.”

“Here.” Derek reached into his suit pocket and retrieved a business card, placing it on the table in front of Max. “That’s the number for an event coordinator who specializes in high-end weddings. She’s very highly recommended.”

“And she’s waiting for your call,” Mary added.

“… okay.” Max picked up the card, looking over it before placing it in her pocket. “We, uh… thank you.”

“That’s not all.” It was Mary’s turn to produce a card, pulling it from her purse. “We want you guys to have this, too. For other expenses.”

Victoria frowned. “Have what?”

Mary took her daughter’s hand, pressing the card into it. When she pulled back, Max saw that it was a very familiar-looking black credit card, made of metal, with Victoria’s name etched into it.

Her fiancée immediately dropped it, the Amex clattering to the table. “No.”

“Yes,” Mary said insistently.

“I don’t want that.”

“We don’t care.”

“Mom, I told you before-”

“Enough,” Derek interrupted. “Sweetie, please take the card.”

Victoria folded her arms. “We don’t need it. And I don’t want it.”

“Why not?”

“You know why not.” Victoria glanced at the card on the table. “I don’t want to be the person I was, back when I had that card.”

Derek raised an eyebrow. “Do you think you’ll go back to your old ways if that card is in your purse?”

“No, I don’t. But-”

“Then take it.”

“I really-”

“Victoria.” Derek leaned forward. “The progress you’ve made, and the difference between the girl you were and the woman you’ve become… the phrase ‘night and day’ doesn’t do the transformation justice. Your mother and I fully believe that you’re stronger than a black credit card.”

“We’re also incredibly proud of you, for what you’ve built without our help,” Mary added. “We know that your studio’s been pulling in nothing but profits ever since you opened it.”

Victoria squirmed uncomfortably. “… not a lot of profit.”

“But profit nonetheless, which is more than a lot of new businesses can brag about. The point is that we know you don’t need that card.” Mary paused. “But you’re about to start planning a very expensive wedding. And while the coordinator will be sending most of the bills to our accountant, there will be a few things you’ll have to pay for yourself.”

“And in any case, we would both feel better if you had that card for emergencies,” Derek explained. “Or if you guys have a bad month. Or if you just need a little extra something. Just… please,” he asked, “take the card.”

“Dad-”

Max laid a hand on Victoria’s arm before she could argue. “Babe, take the card.”

Victoria blinked, looking at her. “… we don’t need it.”

“No, we don’t. Yet,” Max added. “But we might, for this wedding. And your parents are right. You’ve come a really long way. It’s time for you to accept that you can have that card without backsliding.”

The blonde looked between Max and the card on the table several times. “… I don’t like this,” she said quietly. “I still don’t know if I want it.”

Mary and Derek traded glances. And Max could have sworn that a smirk passed between them. “We thought you might feel that way,” Derek allowed, as he pushed his coffee cup away. “We did have one more argument to make, for you to take it.”

“Yea? What’s that?”

Neither of them replied. They simply stood up from their chairs, turning around and ducking through the curtains into the restaurant.

Victoria and Max looked blankly at the exit for almost a full minute. “… where did they go?” Max finally asked uncertainly.

“I…” Victoria looked around. “Did they have something else for us?”

Max stood from her chair, pulling back the curtains to look into the rest of the building. She saw the restaurant was full of other diners, and waiters moving between tables, but not Victoria’s parents. “Are they coming back?”

A waiter appeared at that moment, a black leather portfolio in his hand as he looked at the table. “How was everything?” he asked.

“Good,” Victoria replied absently, still trying to figure out where her parents had gone. “Thank you.”

“Glad to hear it.” He left the portfolio on the table. “We can take care of the bill whenever you two are ready.”

They two girls stared at the portfolio as he walked out.

“… oh my God,” Max muttered.

“What-” Victoria stood, staring at the portfolio. “Did my parents just dine and dash?! Are you fucking kidding me?!”

Max didn’t answer, as she stepped over to pick up the portfolio and opened it. Victoria watched the brunette’s face drain of color.

She sighed as she sat back down. “… do I even want to know?”

“I wish I could go back to not knowing.”

“Can we put it on one of our cards? To make a point?”

“Trust me, neither of our credit scores need this kind of hit.” Max sent the portfolio down very gently. “Your parents have us over a metaphorical barrel.”

“Wonderful.” Victoria looked the black card. “I don’t suppose you’re willing to rewind a few minutes?”

“And do what? How am I supposed to convince them to not leave?” Max shook her head. “Besides, I still agree with them. Though this is kind of a dick move.”

“… fine.” Victoria exhaled slowly, as she plucked the card from the table. “But these guys are getting one hell of a tip.”

* * *

**Dad:** Everything?

**Max:** Yep.

**Mom:** The venue? Catering? Band?

**Max:** All of it.

**Dad:** … damn.

**Max:** I know. They gave Victoria a credit card that doesn’t have a limit, and told us to use it whenever we wanted.

**Mom:** For the wedding stuff?

**Max:** They were non-specific.

**Dad:** Well, if a one-percenter wants to foot the bill for everything, far be it from us to tell him not to.

**Dad:** But we still want to pay for your wedding dress.

**Max:** Why?

**Mom:** Because you’re our daughter. And his will, hopefully, be the only time you’re going to get married.

**Dad:** Exactly. I know we don’t have to, but I would like to keep our piece of the contribution.

**Max:** Well… I mean, if it means that much to you guys, sure.

**Max:** Though I’m not sure how comfortable I am with everyone demanding to spend this kind of money on us.

**Mom:** It’s your big day, sweetie. We want to help make it a good one just as much as Derek and Mary do.

**Dad:** Speaking of which, you need to remind Derek that he owes me fifty bucks.

**Max:** He does? Why?

**Dad:** We made a bet when we all had dinner at Pike Place. Fifty bucks that the Seahawks would make it to the NFC championship.

**Max:** Where they got their asses handed to them by the Falcons.

**Dad:** They still made it to the game. I want my fifty bucks.

**Max:** I cannot believe that he made a bet that low.

**Dad:** Hey, it’s football. You put your money where your mouth is.


	4. Tranquility

**January 9 th, 2024**

Max and Victoria weren’t the only ones who had changed a lot in the past few years.

As Max’s reputation had grown, and word of her competency had gotten around, she’d found herself inundated with work before long; Derek had been right about the number of upper-class children with drug habits in Seattle. After a couple of years, Max had found herself triaging those requests for help, examining each one on a case-by-case basis so she could treat the worst ones first.

After a while, she’d gotten tired of being constantly called by parents that she hadn’t gotten to helping yet. She had explained to a few of them that she already had commitments elsewhere, and she understood their desperation, but there really was nothing she could do for them at the moment.

She did, however, refer them to someone else. Another person who had a knack for helping recently-detoxed individuals stay clean.

Steph didn’t have the addiction counselor background or graduate degree that made Max so sought-after. But she did have experience, and with Max’s recommendation, she found herself getting called by desperate parents who wanted help for their children. Her services didn’t fetch as high of a price as Max’s did, but she still found herself in a much better financial position before long.

Well enough for Max and Victoria to watch her arrive at the restaurant in a brand-new, cherry-red Nissan 370z. They heard the tire squeal as the small sports car zipped into the parking lot, taking a free spot near the door. “I thought she was going to get a Civic,” Max commented.

“I thought so too.” Victoria smirked. “So much for that plan.”

“Maybe she just…” Max’s voice trailed off as Victoria looked at her, just in time to catch the brunette’s face lose focus for less than a second.

She immediately sat upright. “What was that?”

“Don’t-” Max blinked. “Huh?”

“You just rewound. I saw your face do the thing.”

“Yea. I did. Don’t ask her about Melanie.”

“Excuse me?” Victoria asked incredulously. “I thought we were going to try and hire her for-”

“They broke up. And it wasn’t pretty.” Max shook her head fiercely. “Don’t bring it up.”

“… great,” Victoria muttered, as she watched Steph head towards the restaurant. Her sponsor had been seeing a girl who worked in a print shop, and had a side business of designing custom wedding invitations. “So much for that plan.”

“We’ll come up with a better one.”

Steph strolled in casually a few seconds later, noticing the two of them and heading for their table. “Sup?” she asked as she slid into the bench across from them.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Victoria thumbed out the window. “Are you just gonna walk in and pretend that you didn’t pull up in a midlife-crisis-mobile?”

“Yea, since when do you drive a sports car?” Max asked.

“Since I decided to get one,” Steph said plainly. “It’s fast, fun to drive, and looks awesome. Why the hell am I getting heat for this?”

“Because in all the years we’ve known you, we’ve NEVER heard you show any kind of interest in sports cars,” Max answered. “Besides, didn’t you tell me last week that you were looking at a Civic?”

“I was. I happened to see that one on the lot. I took it for a test drive, I decided I liked it, and I got it. End of story.”

“Did you see the guy who traded it in?” Victoria asked smugly. “Was he in his fifties, overweight, and trying to make up for his early-life shortcomings?”

Steph raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, are YOU about to start shitting on people for making poor life choices?”

Victoria winced. “… point taken.”

* * *

“Damn. I could totally get behind wearing this.”

Max smiled as she took her phone back from Steph. “Courtney did say she wanted to avoid the ‘ugly bridesmaid dress’ cliché.”

“Well, I suppose making your own is a good way to do that.” Steph took a sip from her glass of coke. “So, Kate and I are your bridesmaids, right?”

“Yes. Taylor and Courtney are Victoria’s.”

“I figured.” Steph nodded. “Are you guys picking Maids of Honor?”

Max and Victoria traded glances. “We like all of you guys,” Victoria stated plainly. “And we’ve only got two each. It… didn’t really seem fair to pick one over the other.”

“Mm. True. Can Kate and I split Maid of Honor duties, then?”

“What Maid of Honor duties?”

“Well, Kate can be your assistant wedding planner, and help with all the hard stuff.” Steph grinned. “I’ll plan the bachelorette party.”

“Oh. Nice.” Max scoffed. “Kate does all the hard work, and you plan the fun part.”

“You know what they say, about sticking to your strengths.” Steph leaned back into her seat. “I plan on living vicariously through you, by cramming you full of enough booze to kill a Russian villager.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “What a lovely visual.”

“Made less so by the fact that I don’t drink either,” Max reminded Steph.

“It’s tradition, Max,” Steph argued. “You HAVE to get drunk at your bachelorette party. Especially if your wedding is going to be dry.”

“I’m not-” Max stiffened. “… oh, crap.”

“What?”

“No. It’s not.” She looked at Victoria. “We can’t have a dry wedding.”

Victoria blinked. “Shit. You’re right, we can’t.”

Steph frowned. “Um… why the hell not? It’s YOUR wedding.”

“It’s…” Victoria bit her lip, then sighed. “… my dad wants us to invite a bunch of people.”

“… he does?”

“Something like a hundred and fifty very rich men and women. Who, I’m sure, will be less than thrilled if there isn’t an open bar.”

“Wait, are you serious?” Steph asked incredulously. “It’s your wedding, and your dad is taking over?”

“He’s not… taking over, per se,” Victoria explained. “I guess kids getting married is a big deal among people in his tax bracket, and he’s got a lot of rich friends and colleagues who’ll want to show up and wish us well.”

“That’s still-”

“While handing us about a hundred grand in wedding presents,” Max added.

Steph paused. “… shit,” she breathed. “You should ask him to invite more.”

Max and Victoria both snorted. “Someone turned around quick,” Max mentioned

“Hey, man, if there was a six-figure wedding gift in it for me? I’d jump on tables and do the floss dance until I dropped of exhaustion.” She glanced at Victoria. “I don’t suppose any of those rich fuckers have kids? Preferably female and good-looking?”

Victoria cocked her head. “Being gay doesn’t make the cut?”

“Hey, I’ve been to college. You pour enough tequila into a girl, a whole new personality comes to the surface.”

“This is not productive, and we went pretty far off-track,” Max interrupted. “Steph, neither of us are interested in having a bachelorette party. You might as well forget about it.”

Steph sighed. “… you’re no fun,” she muttered, pausing. “Wait, how are you guys going to pay for an uber-fancy wedding?”

“We’re not,” Victoria answered. “My parents are.”

“Ah.” Steph glanced at Max. “Soooo… does that mean you’re back on-board with the thing?”

Max bit the inside of her cheek. “I kind-of want to be,” she admitted quietly. “Especially now that we don’t need our savings account for a wedding.”

Steph inhaled slowly. “I’m actually pretty glad that you said that.”

“Why?”

“Because I was just talking to Jerry last night.” Steph leaned forward, planting her elbows on the table. “He thinks he found a good space.”

Max cocked her head. “I thought he stopped looking?”

“I don’t think he did. You know he wants this to happen. Him and Tina both.” Steph paused. “And me.”

“Yea, I know.” Max rubbed her face. “… it’s a good spot?”

“He sent me some pictures. It’s a great spot.” Steph paused. “But we have to move fast on it.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s in a killer area, for a great price, and it won’t be available for long.” Steph winced. “I know it’s short-notice, and I know you have a lot on your plate with this wedding thing. But if you still want to do this…”

Max squirmed in her chair, finally looking at Victoria expectantly.

The blonde took a slow breath before answering. “We’re using a wedding planner,” she reminded her. “In theory, she’ll be doing the heavy lifting, and we just have to make decisions. If you want to start with this now… I can’t think of a lot of good reasons for you not to.”

“Yea?”

“Yep.” Victoria smirked. “Besides, I know you want to do this, too.”

Max pursed her lips, then sighed, turning back to Steph. “How soon can we meet with everyone?”

* * *

**January 12 th, 2024**

“There it is.”

Max looked up, taking the building in as Steph parked her car in front of it. “… huh.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. It just… wasn’t what I expected.”

Steph looked at her, confused, as she turned off the car. “What DID you expect?”

“I mean, my old rehab was practically in the middle of nowhere. We’re hardly outside of town.” Max shrugged. “I guess I wasn’t sure what I expected, but this wasn’t it.”

“Do you at least think it looks nice?”

Max examined the building in front of them closely. It wasn’t very big, only three stories tall, and the brick-and-mortar façade blended in well with the rest of the surrounding buildings. The area itself was fairly clean, though the building itself looked like it had seen better days; several windows were broken, and there was some graffiti on one side. “It could use a touch-up,” she allowed. “But it doesn’t look like a hovel.”

“Well, we were gonna have to renovate no matter what we picked.” Steph undid her seatbelt. “Come on, the others are probably already inside.”

Max followed her out of the car and up the stairs, Steph pushing through the unlocked doors. The inside of the building was moderately nicer than the outside, though it definitely needed a cleaning. But she marveled at the large lobby, and how it opened up into a first floor.

The building seemed to be centered around a large open space, that started at the ground level and went all the way up to a massive skylight. Doors went around the edges of the building, seeming to lead into various offices or open rooms. The layout continued on the second and third floors, with offices around the outside edges, doors facing the large open space in the middle.

In the middle of the space, on the ground floor, three people were deep in conversation. “We could swing that,” a blonde woman was saying. “The bank has been fighting over custody of this building for years, and they’d love to get people in here making money. I could definitely negotiate a lower interest rate, for that kind of down payment.”

“That would be…” the man she was talking to noticed Steph and Max, and his face brightened. “There they are. Hey, guys!”

“Sup?” Steph said casually, as she looked around. “Man, the pictures don’t do this place any justice.”

“They really don’t,” Jerry agreed. Like Max, he was an addiction counselor who also plied his trade to some of the city’s wealthiest citizens. They had crossed paths several times, though they hardly felt like competitors; Jerry had never stolen any clients from Max, and neither had she from him.

In fact, the idea to start their own rehab center had been his. They’d spent several hours in a diner several months prior, having a serious discussion about the idea, before Steph and Tina had been brought in.

“Hey, Jerry,” Max greeted him. “What were we talking about?”

He nodded towards the blonde. “Lacey was just telling me about getting a killer interest rate on this place, if we put up the kind of payment we were talking about last time.”

“Because the bank has been fighting over this place for years?” Max frowned. “I thought this building had just come on the market?”

“It did, but it’s been empty for a long time, since the last owner’s business went belly-up,” Lacey explained. “He owed the bank a lot of money, and getting the assets from him was an uphill battle; apparently, the guy spent his last few dollars on his lawyers instead of his debt."

Beside Jerry, a woman with red hair rolled her eyes. Unlike him, Max, and Steph, Tina was a therapist who’d written her PhD thesis in treating addiction. The woman was brilliant, and had spent several years at a large practice in Seattle. Jerry had introduced her to Max and Steph as a fourth partner. “Classic narcissism,” she said dryly. “That sense of entitlement that screams ‘if I can’t have it, you can’t either’.”

“Precisely.” Lacey nodded. “Like I said, the bank is eager to put tenants into this place, because they’re tired of paying property taxes out-of-pocket. If you guys make a serious offer, with a six-figure down payment? I have it on good authority that you’ll get less than eight percent, in terms of interest."

Tina hummed. “That’s… good, right?”

“That’s great,” Lacey assured her. “Especially for a new business like yours.”

The four of them traded glances. “Can we talk for a few minutes?” Jerry asked.

“Sure. Take all the time you need.”

She ambled away, though stayed within sight as the four of them turned to each other. “Okay, Max,” Jerry started quietly. “First off, thanks for coming. Second, what do you think?”

Max cast another apprehensive look around the building. “It’s a little dingy,” she observed. “Definitely needs a facelift.”

“Yea, we know.” Tina nodded. “But the bones of the building are good. The electrical and plumbing are all up to code. And I had my brother take a look at the photos earlier this morning; he said the cosmetic stuff probably won’t be that expensive. Hell, we can keep most of it intact.”

“And the broken windows?”

“We should replace them all anyway; they’re old-school leaded glass.” Tina shrugged. “We get some of those energy-efficient windows, LED lighting, and a few solar panels on the roof? Our electric bill will probably drop like a hot rock.”

“The way I see it, we’ve got two floors that need the most work,” Jerry explained, waving his hand around. “We can keep the top floor as offices, for our stuff, plus a conference room. The rest of it, and the whole second floor, can be easily transformed into patient quarters; Tina’s brother says that by building code, we can put about thirty people in here at a time.”

“And the first floor is the reception area, a small cafeteria and a couple of meeting rooms,” Tina finished. “Nice spaces to host a group.”

Max looked around some more. “… yea,” she agreed. “I can see it. What about this big space? Can we make it a common area?”

“That’s what I was just thinking,” Steph added. “Some plants, comfy furniture, maybe a TV or something?”

Jerry hummed. “I like that idea,” he agreed, looking around. “Maybe TVs on those walls, a few couches in front of them, some chairs scattered around, I bet we could make this place seem pretty homey.”

“And a gym,” Tina added, pointing. “We really only need one group room anyway. We can put a couple of treadmills, bikes, weight machines, whatever in the other one; working out can be therapeutic for people in recovery.”

Max nodded. “What about bathrooms for those twenty people? Do they all share?”

Jerry scoffed. “No, that would be gross. We should be able to put individual ones in the rooms. It’ll cost some, in terms of plumbing, and they’ll be small, but it’s doable.”

“Cool.” Max prepared herself for the big question. “And… the buy-in.”

“Right.” Jerry took a short breath. “Thirty thousand, each. That gets us a hundred and twenty grand, and makes each of us a twenty-five percent owner.”

Steph grimaced. “… should’ve leased that car,” she muttered.

“Do you not have it?”

“I do,” she clarified. “It’s… just a really hard hit.”

“No kidding.” Tina hesitated. “… can I offer a suggestion?”

“What?” Max asked.

“We bring in a fifth person. As an investor-slash-silent-partner.”

Jerry tilted his head. “Who?”

“Someone who actually knows how to run a business, instead of four people who just know how to work with addicts.” Tina nodded. “My cousin’s got a degree in business management, and he knows his shit. If I offer him ten-percent ownership, he’d probably be willing to buy in. And that puts our buy-in at twenty-seven grand each.”

Max hummed. “That’s… not a terrible idea,” she allowed, looking at Jerry. “She’s right, we’re in uncharted waters here. Someone who knows how to set up a business would be helpful.”

Jerry mulled it over for a few seconds, then smirked. “This is why I think all start-ups should have a Jewish Italian on their staff,” he said as he thumbed towards Tina. “They got a relative for fuckin’ everything.”

Tina smirked back. “I’d be offended if you weren’t right.”

“Okay, then.” Steph inhaled. “We tell her that we want it. Takes, what, a week to meet with the bank? Tina can get her cousin on-board in the meantime. The five of us go inside, we write our checks, wham, bam, we got us a fuckin’ building.”

“We do indeed.” Jerry nodded. “I’m in.”

“Me too,” Steph said, like it wasn’t obvious.

“Same,” Tine added.

The three of them looked at Max expectantly, as the brunette took another slow look around the building. After a few seconds, she slowly smirked. “… I guess we just got us a rehab center.”

* * *

**Victoria:** How’d it go at the bank?

**Max:** Tina’s cousin NAILED it.

**Victoria:** Really?

**Max:** It was amazing. He walked in like he owned that room, and ran circles around the loan officer. I don’t know exactly what he did, but he got us a killer interest rate.

**Max:** They wired the money for the rest of the loan a couple of hours ago. Tina’s already getting a full proposal from her brother, to start working in a few days.

**Victoria:** Damn. So you own a rehab center now!

**Max:** I own 22.5% of a shell of a building. I’ll own a rehab center when renovations finish in six weeks.

**Victoria:** Nevertheless. What name did you guys settle on?

**Max:** Tranquility won the popular vote.

**Victoria:** Ooh, I like it. Sounds peaceful.

**Victoria:** Hey, have you asked Steph about Melanie? How she’s doing?

**Max:** Yes. Twice.

**Victoria:** … does she remember either of them?

**Max:** No. She’s still pretty heated.

**Max:** I guess Melanie cheated on her.

**Victoria:** Ah, jeez.

**Max:** With her boss at the print shop.

**Victoria:** … damn.

**Max:** Yea, apparently Steph walked in on them going at it. She referred to them both by names that would’ve made paint peel off the walls.

**Victoria:** So, she’s not ready to talk about it yet.

**Max:** We’ll give it a couple more weeks, then ask why we haven’t seen her for a while.

**Victoria:** Seems safe.


	5. Pictures

**February 5 th, 2024**

“It just came right out, huh?”

The four-year-old girl in front of Victoria nodded enthusiastically. “In my apple!” she proclaimed proudly.

“Cool!” Victoria smiled as she handed the child her tooth back. “Are you gonna put it under your pillow for the tooth fairy?”

“Uh-huh!”

“Good.” Victoria grinned maliciously. “Because I hear she gives you ten dollars for your first tooth.”

The girl’s eyes got big. “TEN DOLLARS?!” she exclaimed.

“Uh, excuse me.” Kate crossed her arms, as she stood behind Alice. “The tooth fairy gives you ONE dollar per tooth.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Victoria shook her head. “It was ten bucks for me, when I lost my first tooth.”

“It was?!” Alice smiled widely. “Cool!!”

Kate didn’t look as enthusiastic, as she narrowed her eyes at Victoria. “It must have been a different tooth fairy,” she said flatly.

“Pretty sure there’s only one tooth fairy, Kate.”

Alice whipped her head around to face her mother. “I get ten dollars?!” she asked excitedly.

Kate inhaled slowly, finally turning her gaze to her daughter. “We’ll see what she leaves you tomorrow morning,” she said. “Now, go sit on the chair so Aunt Victoria can take your picture.”

The little girl scurried off to her chair, sitting on it and straightening out her dress as Victoria and Kate stepped behind the camera. “I’m gonna kill you,” Kate whispered.

“Why?” Victoria asked, an innocent smirk on her face. “I just told the truth.”

“Maybe for rich girls.” Kate gave her the stink-eye. “Everywhere outside of Mercer Island, the tooth fairy leaves one dollar per tooth.”

“I did clarify that it was for the first tooth,” Victoria offered as she adjusted the camera. “Speaking of, isn’t it a little early for her to lose teeth?”

“The dentist said so, but that it wasn’t unusual. Her baby teeth did come in pretty quickly.”

“Ah.” Victoria poked her head out from behind the camera. “Okay, kiddo, big smile!”

Kate looked at the screen on the back of the camera as Alice smiled widely, the missing tooth extremely noticeable. “I don’t suppose you can do anything with that?” she asked.

“Not really. I can close gaps, and get rid of gum, but I can’t make new teeth.” Victoria hit the shutter, the lights flashing as she took her first photo. “I think it’s adorable. You gotta have the first photos of the missing teeth.”

“Yea, it is,” Kate conceded. “I’m sure she’ll have it back by your wedding, anyway.”

“Well, we haven’t even set a date, so probably.” Victoria took another picture. “Okay, Alice, turn to the right a little bit… no, kiddo, your other right. There you go.”

“You and Max don’t have any ideas yet?” Kate asked.

Victoria shrugged. “A few. But it's gonna be a while before we can meet with the wedding planner. And a lot of it’s gonna depend on the venue we pick, and their availability.”

“Have you guys thought about those at all?”

“Pfft. No.” Victoria took a couple more pictures. “I’m sure it will be someplace super-fancy, that will cost more than most people make in a year.” She paused. “Or two. Or five. Okay, Alice, one more picture. Hold that smile!”

They watched as the girl adopted a conniving expression. Just as Victoria went to hit the shutter button, the girl jammed her finger into her nose as deep as she could. “Alice!” Kate scolded. “Get your finger out of there, RIGHT now!”

“No, she’s perfect.” Victoria took the photo, as Alice giggled. “Beautiful, kid, just beautiful. We’re putting that one on the wall.”

“We most certainly are NOT,” Kate proclaimed. “I don’t want a copy of that.”

“I didn’t say YOU were putting it on the wall.” Victoria smirked. “I’m having that framed.”

* * *

“Is that Katy Perry?”

Victoria looked up from her computer to see Kate’s eyes on a photo behind her. “Oh. Yea, it is.”

“I didn’t know you took her photo.” Kate peered closely. “Is she on a red carpet? Where is that?”

“It was at SIFF last year. I guess she sponsored one of the movies.” Victoria shrugged as she turned back to the computer. “I wasn’t hired to shoot her, specifically. They had a couple of photographers drop out, and they needed to replace them in a hurry. I was nearby and available, so… right place, right time.”

“Cool.” Kate nodded. “That’s a good photo.”

“Thank you. I hope I look than good when I hit my forties.” Victoria hit a few more buttons, then turned the screen to face Kate. “What do you think?”

Kate studied the photo of Alice. Victoria hadn’t done much editing, but the result was an exceptional photo of the four-year-old smiling. “That looks amazing,” Kate proclaimed. “God, Victoria, that is seriously incredible.”

“Thanks.” Victoria was pleased, as the turned the monitor back. “How many photos do you want? And what size?”

“A couple of the big ones, the eleven-by-fourteens.” Kate nodded. “And a few smaller ones, the four-by-sixes, if you could.”

“Sure.” Victoria typed a few quick commands, and the large printer beside her hummed to life. “It’ll just take a few minutes.”

“Okay.” Kate retrieved her purse by her feet. “How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing,” Victoria said plainly.

Kate gave her a look. “Seriously, Victoria.”

“I am serious. I don’t charge friends for photos.”

“I appreciate that, but I don’t need to freeload from people either,” Kate pressed. “Besides, you know I can afford it.”

“I know you can. That’s not the point.” Victoria crossed her arms. “This is, like, an hour of my time. Plus, I’m gonna hang that photo of Alice picking boogers in our condo.”

Kate sighed. “God, you really are, aren’t you?”

“Totally.”

“Doesn’t matter. I insist.” Kate retrieved a credit card from her purse. “If you don’t take my money, I’m leaving a bad review on Yelp.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Bold of you to assume that I can’t get it taken down.”

“Bold of YOU to assume that I won’t do it again.” Kate held out the card. “Let me pay you for your time. Or else.”

“… fine,” Victoria allowed, finally taking the card. “But I do this under protest.”

“Do it under whatever you want. As long as I get a ten-dollar discount.”

Victoria blinked. “I just told you that I’d-”

“You’re forcing me to give my kid ten bucks for a piece of her head. I want my bill discounted.”

* * *

“Seriously?”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “Come on. It was funny.”

“If you say so.” Max shook her head as they ate dinner at the condo later that night. She stuck her fork in the pasta, spinning it as she continued to speak. “Did you really get ten bucks for each tooth?”

“I did. How much did you get?”

Max smirked. “Like Kate said, everyone without rich parents only gets a dollar.”

Victoria frowned. “I thought your dad was a lawyer. Isn’t he rich?”

“Uh, no?” Max looked at her incredulously. “What has he done that would make you think he’s rich?”

“I mean, your parents live in a nice enough house,” Victoria pointed out. “Plus, you’re an only child, and both of your parents work. Besides, all my dad’s lawyers are rich.”

“That’s because they work for your dad,” Max countered. “My father isn’t a fancy corporate lawyer.”

Victoria tilted her head. “What kind of lawyer is he? I just realized that I’ve never asked him.”

Max hesitated. “Um…”

“Oh my God, you don’t even know?!”

“I do!” she said quickly. “I’ve asked him before!”

“Well, then? What kind is he?”

Max winced. “… I don’t remember.”

“How convenient.”

“Look, his job is really boring,” she said defensively. “Last time I heard him talk about it, I zoned out after thirty seconds. All I know is that he’s a member of the bar, he seems to enjoy what he does, and makes decent enough money.”

“Ah ha.” Victoria pursed her lips, then shrugged. “Well, what more could you ask for in life?”

“That’s what I figured.” Max had another bite of her dinner. “What else did you and Kate talk about?”

“Little bit of wedding stuff. She mentioned that Alice was really excited about being a flower girl.” Victoria paused. “And then we both realized that we need to have Courtney make Alice’s dress, too.”

“We do?” Max frowned, then blinked in realization. “Oh. Crap. Because it has to match the bridesmaids’ dresses.”

“Exactly.”

“I didn’t even think about that.” Max shook her head. “So Kate has to buy two dresses.”

“She might. Or…” Victoria reached across the table, where her purse was sitting, and pulled out the black credit card. “Maybe nobody has to buy them.”

Max tilted her head. “… will your parents be mad if we do that?”

“They did say that they would pay for the whole wedding.”

“That normally doesn’t include bridesmaid dresses.”

Victoria shrugged. “Should’ve thought about that before they gave us the credit card. Besides, as much as this wedding is likely gonna cost? They won’t care, so long as we impress the uber-wealthy guests.”

Max hummed. “… it would certainly ease our friends’ financial burden.”

“That was my thinking.”

“Then I guess we should send Kate a text.” Max stood, walking away to retrieve her phone. “Let her know that we’re gonna pay for the… what the hell?”

Victoria turned in her seat. “Huh?”

Max was staring at a new photo. “Why is there a picture of Alice digging for boogers on our wall?”

“Oh. Right.” Victoria grinned. “I wasn’t finished with my story.”

* * *

**Victoria:** So, we’ve made some decisions.

**Courtney:** Regarding?

**Victoria:** The dresses.

**Courtney:** Oh! Did you and Max pick a design?

**Victoria:** Fathom, for a moment, that you had an unlimited budget. Would the designs change?

**Courtney:** … how ‘unlimited’ is unlimited?

**Victoria:** Make up your own mind.

**Courtney:** Dude, I can go hog-wild if you tell me that the sky’s the limit. I’m talking material sourced from Chinese silk manufacturers, from a village that’s been doing it since time began, using techniques that go back centuries.

**Victoria:** That sounds pretty nice.

**Courtney:** Yea, and fucking expensive as hell. Hence the question.

**Victoria:** Well, we’ve decided to put the bridesmaid dresses on my Amex.

**Courtney:** Your Amex? Like, the black one you had back at Blackwell?

**Victoria:** My parents literally forced it on me last month.

**Victoria:** They also want to invite a lot of their super-rich friends, and they’re going to pay for everything. So we’re dressing to impress.

**Courtney:** … oh, we’re in the playoffs now.

**Victoria:** What does that mean?

**Courtney:** Gimme a couple of weeks.

**Victoria:** Okay. But we’re gonna need a child’s dress, too, for Alice.

**Courtney:** Like I said, gimme a couple of weeks. I’ll get back to you.

* * *

**Max:** Can I ask a question? One that might make me sound like a bad daughter?

**Dad:** You’re the furthest thing from a bad daughter, sweetie.

**Max:** What kind of lawyer are you?

**Dad:** … okay, you might not be a great one.

**Max:** Yea, I know.

**Dad:** I’ve told you before, I work for an insurance company. Don’t you remember?

**Max:** Not really. I’ll be honest, Dad, you kinda sounds like Charlie Brown’s parents when you talk about work.

**Dad:** Really? You don’t remember me talking about the death threats?

**Max:** The what now?

**Dad:** The stalker who left threatening notes on my car? And on our doorstep?

**Max:** NO!! When was this?!

**Dad:** Back in Arcadia Bay! My old company denied someone’s claim, they sued, I defended in court, and they lost. But they somehow managed to track down our address!

**Dad:** You don’t remember your mom and I discussing it in front of you? That was why we had to move when you were thirteen, because the cops couldn’t find the guy!

**Max:** Are you serious?!

**Dad:** No, of course not. We moved because the company I work for now offered me way more money.

**Max:** … I hate you so much.

**Dad:** Well, maybe you should pay more attention.


	6. Opening Soon

**February 20 th, 2024**

“… wow.”

Steph smirked, as she held the door open for Victoria. “I know, right?”

Victoria couldn’t stop looking around, as she walked inside Tranquility. Since Max and the others had purchased the building, a renovation crew had been working almost non-stop. New carpet had been installed, and a fresh coat of paint was on the walls, along with a selection of tasteful art. Additionally, the central area had been adorned with several couches and tables, making it look like a very cozy common area.

“This place is amazing.” Victoria glanced up, noticing a work crew on the second floor. “How much do you guys have left?”

“Only a few more days.” Steph nodded towards the upper level. “They finished the offices yesterday, and we’re getting the gym equipment tomorrow. They’re just finishing up the last few cosmetic touches.”

“How many people will be able to stay here?”

“Thirty at a time. But we’ll probably never be at max capacity.” Steph shrugged. “Tina is getting our paperwork in order with a few insurance companies, so we’ll be able to start accepting patients as early as next week.”

Victoria frowned. “Insurance companies cover rehab?”

“They do.”

“Sounds like good money.”

“It can be.”

“Well, it looks like this place would be worth it.” Victoria turned around, continuing to take the building in. “Man, it looks almost as nice as the center I went to in Portland.”

Steph raised an eyebrow. “Almost as nice?”

“Hey, unless you’ve got a big pond out back, it’ll be tough competition.”

“Mm. Fair enough.”

“Oh, I brought my stuff.” Victoria lifted a couple of bags from her shoulder. “Where do you guys want me to set up?”

* * *

“Like this?”

Victoria looked at Jerry, as he leaned back onto the couch. She’d set up her camera on a tripod in front of him, as well as a couple of reflectors. “Cross your right leg over your left,” she instructed. “And rest your elbow on the back of the couch. We want to make you seem relaxed and approachable.”

He did as he was told, and she took several quick pictures before she stepped back to take another look. “Know what? I think you should lose the tie.”

“You do?” he looked down at the purple tie around his neck. “My wife brought it for me. For these pictures.”

“And it looks good,” Victoria assured him. “But if you want to go for a more laid-back approach, I think it looks better without the tie. And maybe with your sleeves rolled up.”

He winced. “Yea, until my wife sees the big picture on the wall without the tie she brought me.”

Victoria smirked. “Well, I suppose that brings its own set of problems.”

“Exactly. Problems I’d like to avoid.”

“Then let’s just roll up the sleeves,” she offered. “And take off your glasses. Just hold them in your hand.”

After a few minutes, she stepped back, satisfied. “These are good,” she allowed as she reviewed the photos on her camera. “They make you seem very casual. Like someone people can relax around not some uptight doctor.”

“I’m not a doctor,” Jerry said absently, as he fixed his shirt.

“Really?” Victoria looked at him. “I thought you were. You kind-of look like one.”

“Thank you, but no.” He smirked. “Just a simple Bachelor’s in Behavioral Science for me.”

“My turn!” Steph walked in and plopped down on the couch, crossing her legs. “Make me look good, or else.”

“I don’t want you on the couch,” Victoria told her as she fiddled with her camera. “Everyone’s pictures are gonna look a little different. I want you over there, standing by the window.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

* * *

“Where is Max, anyway?”

Steph shrugged, as her and Victoria rode the elevator. The brunette carried the camera tripod over one shoulder and had a reflector in her other hand. “I think in her office. Though she’s been in there for an hour now.”

“Have you set up your officesyet?”

“I did. The others are still working on it.” Steph bit her lip. “I… kind-of feel under-accomplished, compared to everyone else.”

“Why?”

“Because the others get to hang up fancy degrees in relevant fields of study. And mine says Stage Management.” She scoffed. “Shit, Max has her Master’s, and Tina’s a legit doctor. I don’t know how I’m supposed to compare to that."

“You’ve got first-hand knowledge, remember?” Victoria reminded her, as the elevator opened onto the third floor. “I mean, you kicked an Adderall habit. And you’ve been active in NA for years, not to mention all the experience you’ve gotten since Max started referring people to you. I’d say you’re hardly useless in an addiction center.”

“Still."

“I wouldn’t stress it. The others wouldn’t have asked you to buy into this place if they didn’t think you could contribute.”

Steph nodded in agreement as she led the way to Tina’s office. The redhead looked up from the box she was unpacking as they pushed the door open. “Hey,” she greeted them distractedly. “Is it picture time?”

“Sure is.” Victoria smiled. “You ready?”

“I guess.” Tina gestured to the wall behind her, where degrees and photos hung above an easy chair. “Right here good?”

“Yea, that’s perfect.” Victoria set the camera bag down on a free chair. “We definitely want to make you look professional. Easy to do when you’re sitting in front of your doctorate.”

“I thought so.”

Steph frowned. “You don’t want to make her look casual? Like me and Jerry?”

“No.” Victoria took the tripod from her. “You and Jerry looked best when you guys were open and inviting. For Tina and Max, we want to make them look…” she thought for a second. “Clinical.”

“Clinical?”

“Like their opinions on patients are always accurate,” Victoria explained, as she spread the legs on the tripod. “The theme for them should be ‘expertise’.”

“Works for me.” Tina adjusted her shirt, before sitting in the seat. “Is this okay?”

“Cross your legs. And fold your hands on your lap.” Victoria set up and adjusted her reflectors, making only minor adjustments to the one Steph put down before stepping behind the camera. “Okay, go ahead and smile.”

Tina did so, adjusting her pose as Victoria directed for several minutes. Eventually, the blonde was satisfied. “I can definitely work with these,” she acknowledged as she stood upright.

“Good.” Tina followed suit, stretching her arm. “Even without makeup?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got some editing software on my computer. You’ll look great by the time I finish.” Victoria picked up the tripod, camera and all. “Max’s office is…”

“That way.” Tina pointed. “Two doors down, past Jerry’s.”

Victoria headed out as Steph gathered the reflectors, holding the camera carefully as she headed to her fiancée’s office. She could see Max standing by the window as she came in, cell phone to her ear.

As soon as Max saw her, she put a quick finger to her lips. Victoria froze, frowning as she quietly set the camera down. Max listened into her phone for a few minutes, making noncommittal noises.

“I understand,” she finally said. “I- no, really, I do. It’s a valid concern. But this isn’t-”

She stopped, listening some more.

“I can’t promise something like that,” she said after several seconds. “And you know that. In fact, I’m surprised I would have to tell you that, of all people. But I will promise that I’ll do everything I can to help.”

Steph walked in, stopping beside Victoria. “Who’s she talking to?” she whispered.

Victoria glanced at her. “You don’t know?” she whispered back.

“She was setting up her office last I saw.”

“We’re not accepting patients yet. But we’ll be operating in a week or so.” Max checked her watch. “I’ll make sure we have a room set aside… yes, of course. We’ll make sure everyone’s privacy is protected.”

After a few seconds, she nodded again. “Sure. No, it’s not a problem. I’ll see you both when you get here. And… I’m really, really sorry.” She listened, then shook her head. “Nevertheless. I’ll, uh... see you next week.”

She finally took the phone away from her ear, ending the call. “Who was that?” Victoria asked curiously.

Max took a slow breath as she turned to face her and Steph. “We just got our first new patient.”

“Seriously?” Victoria exclaimed. “That’s great! Sort of,” she added quickly. “I mean, that sucks for them. But you guys are getting new clients!”

“…yea.” Max stuck her phone back in her pocket. “It does suck.”

“Why?” Steph asked. “What is it? Do you know the patient or something?”

Max nodded. “Or… I thought I did,” she added.

“Who is it?”

The brunette sighed. “One of the last people I thought I’d ever see.”


	7. First Patient

**February 27 th, 2024**

“When did it start?”

Max watched the man across from her run his fingers through his hair. “… I’m not sure,” he admitted quietly. “She won’t talk to me. I’ve tried to bring it up several times, but she absolutely refuses to discuss it.”

“Then when did you notice something was different?”

“A few months ago.” He sighed heavily. “She started complaining about insomnia. And… well, she didn’t eat a lot before, but she started eating less and less. She never seemed to run out of energy, though,” he added. “In the middle of a shift, she’d sometimes get this… I don’t know, like a second wind. It started happening more and more frequently.”

Max nodded. “Did you ask her?”

“She said she’d drink a Red Bull when she needed it.” He scoffed, averting his gaze. “God, I’m an idiot. Our vending machines don’t even have Red Bull.”

“It’s not your fault,” Max said gently. “People like her are great at hiding their drug usage from loved ones.”

“I’m a fucking doctor, Max.” Warren Graham looked back up at her, bags clearly visible under his eyes. “I should know better than anyone.”

Max decided not to reply to that statement, and instead took a short breath before pressing on. “So you caught her?” she asked.

Warren nodded. “Twice,” he admitted. “Well, three times, but I didn’t know what it was the first time, and I didn’t really press the issue.”

“When was the first time?”

“In our intern year.” He shrugged. “We were in the library, studying for our residency test. She went to get another book, I went up to get a different one, and I saw her pop the pill between bookshelves. She told me it was a caffeine pill, and I was too preoccupied to dwell on it.”

“And the second time?”

“During one of our labs. I looked over and saw her take it.” He rubbed his face. “I confronted her later, and she admitted that it was Ritalin. But she said another doctor had offered it to her, and she didn’t think it was that big of a deal. So…” he grimaced. “I know I shouldn’t have. But I let it slide.”

Max pressed her lips together. “And then?”

Warren glanced at the door. “… we’re covered under HIPAA, right?”

“We are.”

“… it was during a shift.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I was checking on a couple of patients, when I saw her duck into a storage room. I followed her, to see what she was doing, and opened the door just as she popped another pill. But this time, I saw the others.”

Max leaned forward, planting her elbows on her desk. “The others?”

“She… had a baggie with a few more pills in her hand.” Warren shook his head. “We got into a huge thing. I basically made her go home. And… I threatened to tell her boss if she didn’t.” He winced. “She was pretty pissed, but she did leave.”

“It was the right thing to do,” Max assured him quickly. “You know that.”

“That doesn’t mean I like it.” He sighed. “We had a big fight when I got back. She tried to hide the pills from me, but I managed to get ahold of them.”

“More Ritalin?”

“Yea.” Warren leaned back in his chair. “She had six or seven of the twenty-milligram pills.”

“That’s a big dosage,” Max observed. “Most people that abuse Ritalin only take the ten-milligram pills. Or even the five.”

“I know. And I know that your brain eventually gets used to Ritalin, the more you take. Which means she’s been on them for a while.”

Max glanced at her computer monitor, tilted so Warren couldn’t see that she had a camera feed pulled up. They had elected to use cameras that were concealed in security system motion sensors, so that patients and their families didn’t feel like they were under observation. The feed was tuned to the couch just outside her office, and the woman sitting on it.

Brooke Scott hadn’t changed much, in the few years since Max had seen her. Though she did look noticeably thinner. She slouched low in the couch, her arms folded, clearly upset about where she was currently sitting. The hood of her sweatshirt was up over her hair, so Max didn’t see her face.

As she watched on the feed, Brooke fidgeted on the couch, squirming several times. Max turned back to Warren. “I’m assuming you confiscated the pills.”

“Flushed them.”

“Have you left her alone since then?”

“I… kind-of had to,” Warren admitted. “I was going to take the week off, before we got here, but there were some pretty serious car accidents, and I got paged into work. So, yea, she was alone for several hours.”

Max nodded as she looked back at the feed, in time for Brooke to get up and start walking. She clicked a button to change cameras, and watched Brooke go into the nearby bathroom. “Did she show any symptoms of using afterward?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Okay.” Max looked back at him. “If that’s the case, this is a good time to take her in. We actually have a staff member with experience in prescription pill abuse, so we can get her help right away.”

“What about…” Warren hesitated. “You won’t report her to the medical board, right?”

“No.” Max shook her head. “We don’t have that obligation, unless she’s a clear danger to her patients, and she won’t be while she’s up here. Besides, this is Washington, not California.”

“Right.” He rubbed his face. “Appreciate that.”

“Speaking of which, why come up here?” Max asked curiously. “I mean, I know there are rehab centers in California, and they won’t report her to the medical board either.”

Warren smirked. “Because I know you’re one of the best.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “That might be true, but I doubt my reputation has made its way down to California.”

“No, it hasn’t. But… I mean, you fixed Victoria,” Warren reminded her. “And I know how bad she was.”

“Well, there were deeper issues than…”

Max let her voice trail off, as Brooke reappeared on the camera feed and sat back down on the couch. She frowned as she checked her watch. _That was quick._

_… too quick._

She took hold of the mouse, using the camera controls to zoom in. She watched as Brooke casually patted her shirt smooth, just above the outline of her bra.

_Ah, shit._

“Max?” Warren looked confused. “What’s-”

She didn’t answer as she raised her hand. Time flew backwards, and she watched on the monitor as Brooke stood, walked backwards towards the bathroom, then walked back out and returned to her seat on the couch.

“-to take the week off, before we got here,” Warren was saying when she dropped her hand. “But there were some pretty serious car accidents, and I got paged into work. So, yea, she was alone for several hours.”

“Okay.” Max nodded. “Why don’t you go get her, so we can talk together.”

“Sure.”

Warren stood, walking out of the office. As soon as he left, Max snatched the phone from her desk and dialed an extension.

“ _Front desk._ ”

“It’s Max. Is Maya there?”

“ _Hang on._ ” The line rustled as the phone changed hands. “ _Max?_ ”

“Hey, Maya. You doing anything important?”

“ _Only what you pay me for. What do you need?_ ”

“I need you come to my office and knock on the door in three minutes.” Max kept an eye on the camera feed as she talked fast; Brooke had already standing up. “And try to look intimidating, would you?”

“ _Gee, I guess I could give it a shot,_ ” Maya remarked dryly. “ _You want full guns?_ ”

“Yea, I think we might need them.”

“ _Okay. I’ll start counting._ ”

Max set the phone down as her office door opened. Warren led the way, holding the door for his wife.

Brooke had a neutral face as she walked inside, but Max could sense the indignation simmering beneath the surface. She sat down in the chair beside Warren’s, flipping the hood off her head.

“Hello, Brooke,” Max greeted with a smile.

“Max,” Brooke replied stiffly.

“How have you been?”

“Great.” She folded her arms. “Absolutely peachy.”

Max hummed. “Warren’s been telling me a little bit about why you’re here,” she said gently. “And the problem you’ve been-”

“I do NOT have a problem,” Brooke snapped.

“Brooke-”

“The only issue I have is my husband blowing things out of proportion.” Brooke shot him a glare. “I don’t even know why we’re here. I told you everything was fine.”

“Everything if NOT fine, you were popping pharmaceutical-grade stimulants like they were candy,” Warren countered. “And I know you’ve been doing it for years.”

“Oh, please,” Brooke scoffed. “If you think I’m the only resident who needs a little help staying alert during a fucking twelve-hour shift, you’re delusional.”

“I don’t think any of the others are breaking the law when they do it!” Warren exclaimed. “Do you even know how much trouble you could get in?!”

Brooke rolled her eyes. “It’s not that huge of a deal. Certainly not enough to drag me to fucking Seattle.”

“Then why were you hiding it?” Max asked.

Brooke looked at her. “Excuse me?”

“If it’s not a huge deal, then why are you hiding it from people?” Max repeated. “Why are you popping pills in a closet, instead of in front of everyone?”

“So I don’t have to put up with bullshit like this,” Brooke ground out.

“Like what?”

“Answering to some fucking girl who has the balls to think she knows more than me about drugs, just because she’s got a graduate degree.” Brooke turned her gaze back to Warren. “Or a man who can’t come to terms with a wife that can handle her own business.”

Warren’s face hardened. “You were doing drugs while treating patients.”

“It was overhyped caffeine.” Brooke snorted in derision. “And you’re one to talk. I’ve seen you drink Monster like it was water.”

“Last I checked, Brooke,” Max interrupted, “drinking Monster without a prescription doesn’t get you charged with a misdemeanor. So let’s not compare the two.”

“Okay, you know what?” Brooke uncrossed her arms and legs, standing up from her chair. “Humoring both of you has been fun, it really has. But I’m going back to the car.”

“No, you’re not,” Warren corrected sternly. “You have a problem, and Max is-”

“I do NOT have a fucking problem!” Brooke snarled. “And Max is going to do fuck-all, because I’m not staying in this shitty little dump of a rehab center for her to-”

“How many pills do you have on you?”

Max’s question hit the room like a bomb, immediately silencing Brooke and Warren’s pending retort as they both looked at her. “… I don’t,” Brooke finally stated.

“Yes, you do.” Max leaned forward. “I might not be a doctor, Brooke, but I can read people pretty well. And I know you’re holding. How many pills?”

Brooke’s face reddened in anger as Warren looked at her. “I got rid of all those pills,” he said in astonishment. “Where the hell did you get more?”

“I don’t have any more. I let you flush them, remember?” Brooke didn’t turn her glare from Max. “You don’t know shit.”

“I know a lot more than you think.” Max extended her hand. “Give them to me.”

“I just said that I don’t have any, you deaf-”

A knock at the door distracted her. “Come in!” Max called.

Max still remembered the first time she’d met the Maya, when the CNA come in for the interview. All they’d gotten from the resume was that she was in her late twenties, an Army veteran, and studying for her nursing degree; on paper, she wasn’t exceptionally remarkable.

The woman that stepped through the door made Warren and Brooke do a double take. At five-ten, Maya stood taller than most women. And she was, by far, the most muscular woman Max had ever seen; well-defined biceps strained short sleeves of her dark-blue scrub top. Her arms were also covered from the wrist up in flowing, intricate tattoos. A few spots of ink even peeked out from under her collar. The bright blonde hair on one side of her head was buzzed short, and on the other it hung to her chin. The undercut, when combined with her muscular physique and tattoos, made her look extremely intimidating as she folded her arms.

“Thanks for coming.” Max nodded. “Maya, this is Brooke Scott and her husband, Warren. Brooke, this is Maya, one of our CNAs.”

Brooke looked her up and down. “Good for her.”

“She’s studying to be a nurse at WSU,” Max continued. “And aside from working for us, she’s also a reserve police officer.”

“A what?”

“A cop on the Seattle PD’s inactive roster. But a cop nonetheless.”

Maya gave Brooke and Warren a quick once-over, before glancing at Max. “What did you need, Miss Caulfield?” she asked politely.

Max nodded towards Brooke. “Miss Scott is holding drugs.”

“It’s DOCTOR Scott,” Brooke snapped. “And no, I’m fucking not.”

“Excuse me.” Max folded her hands neatly on the desk. “Brooke, this will be a lot easier if you just hand them over, rather than making Maya search you.”

“I’ve got nothing to hand over.” Brooke turned her glare to Maya. “And if you think for a fucking second that you’re going to search me, you better think twice, because I’ll sue your ass into the fucking ground.”

Maya uncrossed her arms and stepped forward. “Miss Caulfield is a medical professional who specializes in rehabilitating patients from controlled substances,” she lectured. “Her opinion is given as much weight as that of a drug-sniffing dog. Which is to say that it’s good enough to establish probable cause.”

“I don’t fuckin’ care what-”

“Additionally, you’re on private property, and you walked past two signs that said visitors on these premises were subject to search of their persons,” Maya continued. “I have every right to check you for drugs while you’re in this building.”

Brooke’s face reddened further. “I swear to GOD if you lay a hand on me, I’ll-”

Maya took a large step across the room, getting right in Brooke’s personal space. The quick movement surprised Brooke into silence and made her take an involuntary step backwards. Her leg hit the chair behind her, and she fell back into her seat.

“Easy or hard,” Maya stated simply. “Doesn’t matter to me.”

Brooke’s glare wavered. “Fuck you,” she muttered.

Maya looked at Max.

“Have it your way.” Max nodded towards Brooke. “Start with her bra.”

“No, wait, WAIT!!” Brooke yelled as Maya’s hand flashed out, grabbing her hoodie, and pulling her halfway out of her seat. “Fine! FINE! Let me the FUCK go!”

Maya paused for a couple of heartbeats, before finally releasing Brooke’s shirt and holding her hand out. Brooke was practically shaking, though whether it was in anger or indignation, Max couldn’t tell. After a couple of seconds, she slowly fished her hand into her shirt, coming back up with a small bag of pills.

Warren snatched it from her hand before Maya could take it, as he stood up to inspect the baggie. “Sir, please give that-”

“These are five-milligram pills.” Warren looked at Brooke. “These aren’t the ones you had last time. Where did you get these?”

Brooke clenched her fists and didn’t answer.

“Where the FUCK did you get these?” Warren demanded, shaking the baggie in front of Brooke’s face. “TELL ME!!”

“Sir!” Maya grabbed the baggie, though Warren didn’t let go. “Give me the bag!”

“This isn’t the dose they write for adults!” Warren ignored Maya, as he yelled at Brooke. “Five milligrams is a child’s dose! These came from a prescription someone wrote for a kid! Where the FUCK did you get them?! I swear to GOD if you-”

“WARREN!!” Max shouted, as she stood up.

He glanced at her.

“Give the bag to Maya. And sit down.” She pointed at his chair. “Now.”

Warren shot another glare at Brooke, who studiously avoided his look, keeping her gaze caged forward. After a few second, he released the bag. Maya tucked it into her pocket as she stepped backwards, towards the office door, and folded her arms.

Max took a slow breath, as she sat back down and looked at Brooke. “You know taking controlled substances without a prescription is a problem,” she stated. “I know you do, because as you’ve pointed out, you’re a doctor. And if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be hiding the habit from your husband and coworkers.”

Brooke didn’t reply. Or meet Max’s gaze, as she clenched her fists even tighter; her knuckles were turning white with the strain.

“The fact that you have someone else’s pills is a bigger conversation. One that we aren’t going to have here,” Max added, as she looked at Warren. “This is not a place where we assign blame. At this center, we acknowledge that we have a problem, then work on altering our behavior to overcome it. Is that understood?”

He jerked his head in a nod.

“But first we have to agree that there is a problem.” Max looked back at Brooke. “You’re abusing a drug that the DEA classifies as a schedule two narcotic, in the same category as cocaine and morphine.”

“I’m not abusing it,” Brooke muttered.

“Yes, you are. I understand that because you’re a doctor, you might think that you have everything under control. But as someone who has more experience than you in this matter, I’m telling you right now that you don’t.” Max adopted a gentler tone, as she scooted her chair in. “This is not normal behavior, Brooke. People ruin their lives by doing what you’re doing. You understand that, right?”

She nodded.

“I’m not here to belittle you. Or judge you, or make your life harder. All I want is for you to get off this habit, before you suffer any serious consequences.” Max nodded. “I want to help. That’s it.”

Brooke blew air out through her nose, still not speaking.

“But this isn’t a prison, Brooke, and we can’t help you fix the problem unless you agree to let us,” Max added. “It’s a thirty-day program. You can do thirty days, right?”

“… fine,” she muttered.

“Fine?”

“Yea.” Brooke kept her gaze on the floor. “Okay.”

Max tried not to let her relief show, as she opened a folder and produced some paperwork. “Then I want you to sign yourself in,” she said as she pushed it towards Brooke, laying a pen down in front of her. “There, at the bottom of the page.”

Brooke glanced at the paperwork, but she didn’t move for several seconds. Warren finally nudged her with an elbow. “Sign it,” he told her curtly.

“Warren, stop,” Max told him. “It’s important that she does it on her own.” She glanced back at Brooke. “Admitting that you have a problem is the first step to overcoming it.”

The dark-haired girl still didn’t move, until she gave a short glance towards Warren. Then she reached forward, picked up the pen, and signed the bottom of the page.

“Good.” Max smiled as she took the paperwork back. “Maya is going to show you to your room. And she’s also going to search your bag,” she added. “You can spend a little bit and get yourself settled in, before we come get you.”

* * *

“Christ, Max.”

Max nodded sympathetically, as she sat with Warren on a bench outside the building. “I’m sure that wasn’t easy to see.”

“I’d fucking say so.” Warren leaned his elbows onto his knees. “Jesus, I can’t believe it. She was actually hiding pills like a real drug addict.”

“She is a real drug addict,” Max told him. “Doctors have always been susceptible to drug abuse, between the stress, easy access, and long hours. She’s not the first, and she won’t be the last.”

“I know. I just never figured it would happen to my wife.” Warren ground his palm into his eye. “You, uh… you won’t report her to the medical board, right?”

 _Wondered if that would come back around._ “No,” Max replied. “She’s not a danger to patients while she’s up here. Besides, this isn’t California.”

“Right.” He rubbed his face. “… she’s the smartest one in our residency, you know.”

“I’m sure.”

“I’m not saying that just because we’re married, either. Everyone else struggles to keep up, but she makes this job look easy.” He shook his head. “I swear, she reads medical journals for fun. I don’t remember the last time she fumbled an answer to a question, or misdiagnosed a patient. Shit, the attendings sometimes ask for her by name.”

Max laid a hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”

“Like an idiot.” Warren looked at her. “Like the world’s most educated moron, for not seeing what was right in front of my face.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Warren. Addicts are great at hiding their problems from loved ones.”

“Still.” He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “So… now what? Do I just… leave?”

Max nodded. “You staying here isn’t going to help. This is something Brooke has to do on her own.”

“Right.” Warren looked at her. “Is there a bar nearby? Someplace I can get nice and drunk?”

“As an addiction counselor, I highly discourage that course of action.” Max paused. “That said, there’s a pub a couple of miles down the highway. Right next to a motel.”

“Convenient.” Warren stood. “… will you let me know if she needs anything?”

“Sure thing.”


	8. Sponsor

**March 14 th, 2024**

“Is she from Seattle?”

Steph rolled her eyes, as she refilled her coffee cup. “For the hundredth time, I’m not telling you.”

“What about Los Angeles? Or Arcadia Bay?” Victoria pressed. “Do I know her from school? From the group? Did someone here fall off the wagon?”

“Okay, I’m gonna need you to tell me exactly what sign I gave, indicating that I was going to answer any these questions,” Steph retorted.

“Come on.” Victoria pouted. “All I’m getting from you and Max is that it’s a girl I used to know, and I’m drawing a complete blank. You HAVE to tell me who she is.”

“First of all, no, we don’t,” Steph countered. “There are things called privacy laws you may not be aware of. In fact, Max really shouldn’t have even mentioned that she knows her. And second, why is this so important to you?”

“… I guess it’s not,” Victoria admitted, though she was still sulking. “It’s mostly just me not being in the loop.”

Steph smirked. “You’ll live.”

“So I’m told. How’s everything else going?”

“Good.” Steph took a sip of her coffee. The two of them were milling around after the latest Narcotics Anonymous meeting, chatting before going their separate ways. “We took in seven more patients, so we’ve got enough for an actual group now. And we’re expecting to take in more by the end of next week.”

Victoria made a noise in her throat. “Nice,” she observed. “No. Well, not nice. I mean, I’m happy that you guys are doing well, but the whole…”

“I knew what you meant.” Steph sighed. “I’ve accepted that I can appreciate our initial successes, without being thrilled that our services are necessary.”

“Seems like a good mindset to have.”

“The healthiest, anyway. What’s the latest on the wedding planning?”

“Mm.” Victoria took a sip of her own coffee. “We finally got an appointment set with the planner.”

“Oh, nice. When are you going to see her?”

“She’s out of the country, so it won’t be for a couple of weeks. But she’s coming to see us, not the other way around.”

Steph blinked. “She is?”

“Apparently, if you’re expected to spend the kind of cash my father is, the planner comes to you.” Victoria shrugged. “Speaking of which, you know we’re paying for the bridesmaid dresses, right?”

“Really?” Steph perked up. “You are?”

“Yep. Max and I decided a couple of weeks ago, to put them on my family’s Amex.”

“Sweet. I mean, not that I wouldn’t have been happy to pay for it, but not having to is a financial relief.”

“We figured. That, and we told Courtney to go nuts.” Victoria retrieved her phone and brought up the latest photos. “These are where she’s at right now.”

Steph looked over the latest designs, which showed bright-red sleeveless dresses. “Pretty,” she observed.

“I agree. We might have her keep these.” Victoria put her phone away. “She’s sourcing the silk from some company in China. One that manufactures it with some thousand-year-old technique that makes it super-soft. Or something crazy like that, I don’t know.”

Steph pursed her lips. “I don’t have to take, like, high-society lessons for this thing, right?” she asked carefully. “Because all I know about fine dining is that they use too many forks.”

It was Victoria’s turn to roll her eyes. “No, you don’t have to-”

“Victoria?”

They both turned at the interruption, as Charlie appeared beside them. “Hey,” she greeted him. “How’re you doing Charlie?”

“Good, good.” He nodded. “I’m sorry to interrupt, I hope it wasn’t important.”

“Not even remotely.” Victoria tilted her head. “Did you need something?”

“I did, actually.” He rubbed his chin. “I was hoping to borrow a few minutes of your time, if you could spare them.”

Victoria and Steph traded glances. “I… suppose,” she allowed. “What for?”

“I’ll explain. Over here, if you could.”

* * *

“How long have you been sober now?”

Victoria was taken aback. Charlie had taken them to a secluded corner of the room, away from the others, to pose the question. “Um… four years, two-hundred and eighty-six days.”

“Oh, right.” Charlie smirked. “I forgot you use a whiteboard to keep track."

“Well, I figured until I hit double-digit years, knowing the exact number of days sounds more impressive. Why?”

He cleared his throat before answering. “Would you agree that the program has done a lot for you?”

“I mean, yea, of course it has.”

“Glad to hear it.” Charlie hesitated, seeming to gather his thoughts. “The program does work wonders for keeping people clean. But part of the program is passing that help and inspiration onto others.”

“Passing it on?” Victoria felt a pit develop in her stomach. “… what does that mean?”

“Well… we have a new addict who’s joined the program,” he explained. “And I’d like you to be her sponsor.”

“Her… sponsor?”

“Yes.” Charlie nodded. “What Steph did for you, I think you can do for this girl.”

Victoria tried to keep her heart out of her throat, as she swallowed. “Are you sure?” she asked. “I mean, that I’m… you know, ready?”

Charlie smirked. “You’ve got more time in sobriety than Steph did when she took you on.”

“Yea, but she actually knew what she was doing.”

“And yet we had almost this exact conversation, word-for-word, before she agreed to help you.”

Victoria raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“Listen, Victoria, nobody is really sure if they’re ready to be a sponsor for the first time. But I think you can do this,” Charlie assured her. “And I think you can help this poor kid out, because she really needs it.”

She wrestled with herself for a few seconds, finally licking her lips. “… who is she?”

* * *

Victoria was looking through the cracked door a few minutes later.

The girl in question was young, even younger than Victoria when she’d gone to rehab. Her jeans had tears in the knees, terminating at an incredibly dirty pair of sneakers. She wore a thick black hoodie, and a beanie like Steph’s, except it was green instead of white. The long blonde hair that fell out of it was ragged, and the poorly applied makeup did little to cover the bags under her eyes.

“ _Her name’s Lindsey. She’s a couple of months shy of turning twenty-two. And she’s coming off a pretty bad opioid habit._ ”

“ _How bad?_ ”

“ _She started taking pills when she was fifteen or so._ ”

“ _And… how long has she been sober?_ ”

“ _About two weeks._ ”

“ _That’s it?_ ”

“ _Not everyone has a family that can afford to send their kids to rehab, Victoria._ ”

Lindsey’s leg bounced up and down rapidly, the heel tapping a constant rhythm on the concrete as she stared off into space. And her hands were shoved deep into her hoodie pockets. She was clearly anxious.

“ _So what’s her story?_ ”

“ _You should ask her._ ”

“ _You’re not gonna tell me?_ ”

“ _It isn’t my story to tell. But she definitely needs some handholding. She’s not in a good way._ ”

Victoria could tell. She felt extremely apprehensive, as she looked over the girl.

“ _What if I fuck this up?_ ”

“ _It would be a lot better if you didn’t._ ”

“ _Charlie, I’ve never done this before. I don’t even know where to start._ ”

“ _I’ll be here if you need help. I’m sure Steph will give you advice, too. But you’ve been where she is, Victoria. Just be the person that you needed, back when you were her._ ”

Victoria took a deep breath. _Okay. No more stalling. Let’s just… take this one step at a time, I suppose._

She slowly pushed the church door open. Lindsey didn’t seem to hear her, as she continued to tap her foot on the ground. It wasn’t until Victoria walked in front of her that she actually got her attention, Lindsey finally noticing her.

“Hi,” Victoria greeted with a smile.

Lindsey’s foot slowly stopped tapping on the ground. “… hey,” she said cautiously.

“Are you okay?”

“Yea.” She nodded quickly. “Yea. I’m fine.”

“You sure? You look a little chilly.”

Lindsey shrugged noncommittally. “Just tired,” she muttered. “Are, uh… are you the person I was supposed to wait for?”

“That’s me.” Victoria held her hand out. “My name’s Victoria.”

“Lindsey.” She shook her hand lightly. “Nice to meet you.”

“You, too. Can I sit?”

“... sure, I guess.” She moved over to make room as Victoria turned and sat beside her.

“Thanks.” Victoria got comfortable. “Was this your first meeting?”

Lindsey nodded.

“What did you think?”

“That you guys really like to hear yourselves talk.”

“… fair enough,” Victoria agreed. “It is a little sappy, sometimes.”

Lindsey finally cracked a smirk. “Yea.”

“But it helps,” Victoria elaborated. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but it does.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

Lindsey’s foot started bouncing again, as she tightened her arms around herself. Victoria noticed that her hands still hadn’t left the hoodie pockets. “What’ve you got in there?” she asked curiously.

“Nothing.” Lindsey’s response was way too fast.

“You’ve got a pretty tight grip on nothing.”

Lindsey bit her lip as she looked over Victoria, glancing up and down. After a few seconds, she dropped her gaze and slowly pulled out her right hand. A white pill was clutched tightly between her fingers.

Victoria tried to keep a calm demeanor, as she looked at the pill. “OxyContin,” she observed. “Or… no, that’s Vicodin, isn’t it?”

“… yea.”

“It’s pretty nice. Makes you feel good.” Victoria nodded. “Used to enjoy them myself, back in the day.”

“Really?”

“Yea. Great way to take the edge off, between lines of coke.” Victoria tilted her head. “What’s in your other hand?”

Lindsey pulled her left hand from her pocket, and Victoria saw that it was tightly clutching a wrinkled photograph of a baby in a pink blanket.

“Mm.” Victoria studied the picture. “She’s cute.”

“… thanks.”

“What’s her name? How old is she?”

“Anna.” Lindsey looked down at the photo. “She, uh… just turned one.”

“Where is she now?”

“With a foster family,” Lindsey muttered. “The social worker took her. And said I can’t see her unless I get clean.”

Victoria took a slow breath. “Well, you’re doing pretty good, so far,” she allowed. “Charlie said you were at a couple of weeks. How many days, exactly, are you at?”

“Um…” Lindsey thought for a second. “Twelve.”

“Did he give you your chip?”

Lindsey looked at her blankly. “What chip?”

“Your sobriety chip. For your first day of being clean. He didn’t give you one?”

She shook her head.

Victoria reached into her pocket, retrieving her key ring. She had stopped carrying all of her tokens, but she still had the ones that meant a lot to her; one for each year, the ninety-day chip, and her one-day chip. She pried on the ring and slid out the silver token. “You can have mine, if you want it.”

“I… get a chip for being clean for one day?” Lindsey’s brow furrowed in disbelief. “Really?”

“Hey, taking the first step is a big thing,” Victoria countered. “Not everyone can do it. Starting down the path to get better is a huge milestone, and one that’s worth celebrating.”

Lindsey looked warily at the token. After a few seconds, she reached out to take it.

But Victoria pulled it back. “These also represent the program’s commitment to you,” she said pointedly. “And that commitment cuts both ways. You can’t do this halfway, Lindsey. Not if you want to get better.”

She ended the sentence with a nod towards the pill. Lindsey looked at the Vicodin in her hand, then back at the token.

“... this really works?” she asked in a small voice.

“It really does. I promise.”

Lindsey looked at the pill again. After several seconds, she let it slip from between her fingers, and the pill fell to the ground. Then she lifted her foot and slowly but deliberately crushed it beneath her shoe.

Victoria tried not to sigh in relief too loudly as she handed Lindsey the silver token with a smile. “Welcome to the program, kid.”

She sniffed. “Thank you,” she muttered, rubbing her thumb over the chip.

“You’re welcome.” Victoria nodded. “Are you hungry? Because a burger sounds pretty good right now.”

Lindsey squirmed uncomfortably. “I don’t have any money.”

“It’ll be my treat.”

“… okay.”

* * *

 _Jesus, her and Steph must’ve been raised by the same family of wolves._ Victoria couldn’t help but be amused as she watched Lindsey take a massive first bite out of her burger, barely letting the waiter get out of their way. _Almost took the poor guy’s arm off._

 _… I wonder if it’s been a while since her last full meal._ Victoria’s amusement faded. _Shit._

“Little hungry?” she asked gently.

Lindsey looked up and gave her a small nod.

“Where are you staying?” Victoria leaned onto her elbows. “Do you have someplace?”

“Mm hm.” Lindsey forced herself to swallow the food in her mouth. “I’m, uh, crashing on my friend’s couch.”

“What about a job?” Victoria pressed on. “Do you have a way to make money?”

“Not right now. But she said she was gonna put in a word for me, with the manager at her Starbucks.”

“Nice. Sounds like a good friend.”

“Better friend than I was.” Lindsey dropped her gaze. “She’s got her own kid. And the father’s a deadbeat. She said she’d help me get back on my feet, so long as I stay sober and help around her apartment.”

“Good.” Victoria nodded. “And your social worker? Did she say how long you had to be sober before you see your daughter?”

“I can visit after sixty days. But she said they won’t talk about getting her back until I show that I can support both of us.”

“What does that entail?”

“She didn’t really say.”

Victoria took a slow breath. “Probably having a job, I would guess,” she allowed. “And maybe your own place. Unless your friend has a second bedroom you can rent out?”

She shook her head.

“Then your own place.”

“… great.” Lindsey slouched in her seat, ignoring her burger. “So, never.”

“Hey.” Victoria nodded at her pocket. “Pull out that chip I gave you.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m your sponsor, and I said so.”

Lindsey let herself smirk, before she retrieved the silver token.

“What does it say on the back?”

She flipped the chip over. “One day at a time.”

“You know what that means?”

“Not really.”

“It means that things don’t change overnight.” Victoria leaned on the table between them. “I know that we expect things to, in today’s society, but they don’t. Especially not sobriety. It is a constant, continuous struggle that takes time to adjust to.”

It didn’t seem possible, but Lindsey’s face fell even further.

“But it’s worth it,” Victoria said quickly. “The key is to not think about how long everything is going to take. The only thing you need to worry about right now is finishing day number twelve.”

“What about tomorrow?”

“Then you finish day number thirteen.” Victoria jerked her chin back to the burger. “Come on, keep eating.”

Lindsey still looked apprehensive, but she picked her food back up and took another bite, sighing as she chewed and swallowed. “I missed having real meat,” she admitted. “Been a while since I had a burger.”

“You guys don’t go out that much, I guess?”

“No, but my friend is also a vegan.” Lindsey took another bite of her burger while she spoke. “Everything in the fridge is all-natural, organic stuff.”

Victoria winced. “Bummer.”

“I mean, she’s a decent cook and all,” Lindsey admitted. “Her food is pretty good. I just miss having beef, you know?”

“Totally get it.” Victoria nodded. “How about I make you a deal, then?”

Lindsey looked at her, cocking her head. “What’s that?”

“The meetings are every Monday and Thursday. You come twice a week, you stay sober, and after each one I’ll bring you here and buy you another burger.”

A smile came over Lindsey’s face. “That sounds like a deal I can get behind.”

* * *

“So… you’re bribing her to stay sober.”

Victoria looked at Max crossly, as the two of them sat in bed later that night. “I don’t see the downside,” she retorted. “If the cost of her sobriety is a burger and fries twice a week, it’s a good investment. Besides, it’s not like I can’t afford it.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like we’re growing more comfortable with the Amex.”

“… maybe a little,” Victoria admitted begrudgingly. “But it’s for a good cause. I mean, you should’ve seen this kid. I’ve never seen a more beaten-down looking addict before, and we’ve had some real winners come through the group.”

“I’ll take your word for it. And that is a pretty crappy situation, with her and her baby.” Max sighed. “Sixty days?”

“Yep.”

“How are they making sure she stays clean?”

“She said they’re drug-testing her every other week. And that if she fails one, they’ll reset the clock.” Victoria shrugged. “She seemed to feel better about it, after dinner.”

“Glad to hear it.” Max smiled. “And it sounds like you’re gonna be a good sponsor for her.”

“… I hope so.” Victoria rubbed her hands together. “I’ve never done this before, like you and Steph. I don’t want to fuck it up.”

“Well, you’re doing good so far. Just keep being there for her, and-”

Max’s phone buzzed, and she stopped talking to check the text. “Oh, come on,” she muttered.

“What?”

“Patient got into an argument with one of our overnight attendants.” Max started texting back. “She tried to sneak out.”

“Sneak out _?_ For what?” Victoria asked incredulously. “There’s nothing around your rehab center.”

“Apparently she just wanted air.” Max finished the text and put the phone down. “And thinks the rules about not leaving the building after nine don’t apply to her.”

“Is this the patient I’m not allowed to ask about?”

“You’re not allowed to ask about any of our patients,” Max remarked dryly. “But yes, this is the girl.”

“How’s she been?”

“Difficult.” Max sighed. “Let’s just get some sleep. I’m tired, and not looking forward to dealing with any of this tomorrow.”


	9. HIPAA

**March 15 th, 2024**

“It was a walk around the building.”

Max folded her hands as she sat at her desk. “It’s against the rules to leave after nine o’clock.”

“That’s a dumb fucking rule.” Brooke crossed her arms. “I was just trying to get a little fresh air.”

“Then crack a window.”

“I thought this wasn’t a prison.”

“It’s not. But this part of Seattle is not the greatest, and when you’re in our care, we’re responsible for your well-being.” Max paused. “And again, you knew what you were doing was wrong because you were hiding from the attendant. I think we’re establishing a pattern.”

“Ugh.” Brooke rubbed her eye. “Whatever.”

“How are your sessions with Steph going?”

“Great.” The dark-haired girl plastered a smile on her face. “Making excellent progress.”

“Really?” Max reached for her mouse, clicking a window on her screen. “That means according to her reports, you two must be in different groups.”

“Oh yea?”

“Patient is argumentative and combative in her group sessions,” Max read. “She’s taken to insulting and belittling both the other patients and her counselor.”

She scoffed. “You mean the reformed pill-popper who’s basically a glorified carpenter?”

Max shot her a look. “You’re throwing a lot of stones for someone who lives in a glass house.”

Brooke’s face flushed slightly, as Max turned back to the monitor. “Patient also refuses to contribute during group sessions. She won’t discuss her drug abuse, or the-”

“I do NOT-”

“-OR the impact it’s had on her personal and professional lives,” Max continued, ignoring the impending outburst. “Her progress is minimal at best.”

Brooke rolled her eyes. “Boy, that girl is really taking out her inferiority complex on paper.”

Max closed the window before she turned back to Brooke. “I thought we agreed when you signed in two weeks ago, that you have a problem we’re here to help fix.”

“You and Warren agreed that a have a problem,” she snapped. “I don’t need this condescending bullshit.”

“Tell me again, why you disagree?”

“Because I have it under control. I’m not an addict.”

“Then why were you hiding pills in your bra when you got here? What were they for?”

Brooke inhaled slowly, and Max could practically see the gears in her head turning. “I was studying,” she said. “I was using them to concentrate and remember.”

“Where did you get the pills from?”

“Why?”

“Why does it matter why?” Max countered. “You’ve said several times that you’re not doing anything wrong. Did you write the prescriptions yourself?”

“No,” Brooke said immediately. “Of course not.”

“Did another doctor write them for you?”

“I don’t see how this is relevant.”

“When you’re on this side of the desk, you can decide what is or isn’t relevant. Please answer the question.”

“… fine,” she muttered. “I… brought them from someone.”

“Who?” Max pressed.

“A guy.”

“And where does HE get them?”

“I don’t fucking know,” Brooke retorted. “He isn’t really open to people asking questions.”

“Imagine that,” Max remarked dryly. “A drug dealer who doesn’t like to give up his suppliers. Shocking.”

“He’s not a drug dealer.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Does he sell you drugs?”

“Yes, but… I mean, he isn’t-”

“He’s a drug dealer. Plain and simple.” Max crossed her arms. “You know where most drug dealers get their prescription medications?”

Brooke’s nostrils flared. “No.”

“They’re stolen from people who need them. Or they’re purchased off the dark web, from the same kind of people that peddle child pornography and illegal firearms. Support them means that you’re supporting a whole slew of other illegal activities.” Max paused. “Isn’t part of doctor’s responsibilities to do no harm?”

“There are people who are ALIVE because of me,” Brooke snapped. “I work in the ER, in case you forgot. I’ve helped people survive car crashes, escape abusive spouses… shit, I’ve brought little kids back from the brink of death.” She crossed her arms. “I don’t need to hear crap about me hurting people from someone who has the balls to think she knows what a doctor goes through, just because she’s got a bullshit little degree in head-shrinking.”

Max took a slow breath through her nose, trying to keep her voice level as she formulated her counterargument. “It all comes back to that, then, doesn’t it?”

“Back to what?”

“Your arrogance. You can’t possibly be mistaken, just because you think you know better than everyone else.”

“I DO know better than everyone else.”

“Then why does everyone else who knows about this think you’re wrong?”

Brooke narrowed her eyes. “… you and Warren are both overreacting.”

“And how do you know that?” Max asked. “Worked with a lot of drug addicts?”

“Yes, actually, I have.” Brooke folded her arms. “You may have heard that there’s something of an opioid crisis in this country, at the moment. I see overdosing addicts all the time. Unlike them, I still have a job, a place to live, and all my teeth.”

“That’s not working with drug addicts,” Max corrected. “You’re treating them, then kicking them down the line to become someone else’s problem. And you would be shocked to learn that most habitual drug addicts start off as regular people with jobs, homes, and full sets of teeth.”

“I’m not most people,” Brooke shot back. “I’m a fucking doctor.”

“You ARE most people.” Max leaned forward. “No addict starts off thinking that they have an issue. And they generally resent the accusation. I hate to break it to you, Brooke, but you are a perfectly average drug abuser.”

“I am not a-”

“No. Enough.” Max pointed a finger at her. “I will not let this become a circular argument. Simply put, Brooke, you are wrong. Understand?”

Brooke’s face turned redder, and she seemed like she was about to unleash another argument, for which Max braced herself. But instead, Brooke slowly sat back in her seat. “… okay, then.”

“Good. Now, stop arguing with Steph, quit being mean to the other patients, and maybe TRY to listen and contribute meaningfully during your next group session.” Max slowly stood from her seat. “This program can be easy or difficult, Brooke. It all depends on you.”

“Fine.” Brooke waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Sure.” She exhaled slowly. “I will make a very productive use of my remaining time here.”

* * *

“I really am worried that Steph is gonna kill her.”

Tina smirked as she sipped her coffee. Max was sitting across from her after lunch, feet kicked back on another chair. “Well, it would be best if she didn’t,” Tina offered. “We’re still starting out, you know. Last thing we need is a reputation for killing our patients, even the difficult ones.”

Max rubbed her head. “It’s not even that she’s difficult. I’ve had difficult patients before, and I did fine with them.”

“True.” A smirk slowly came over Tina’s face. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea to try and marry this one.”

The brunette’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not funny.”

“I think I was, a little bit.”

“Remind me to laugh later.” Max dropped her hand. “I would say that it’s because I know her from before, but I knew Victoria, too. And she’s not the first doctor I’ve seen, either.”

“Really?”

“Yea, back at Resting Willows, I worked with an anesthesiologist who used to swipe narcotics from his hospital. But he wasn’t nearly as conceited as Brooke is.”

Tina hummed as she leaned forward. “So why is Brooke giving you guys so many problems?”

“… I don’t know.” Max shrugged. “I’m starting to think that we just can’t reason with her.”

“Everybody can be reasoned with.”

“Tell it to Steph. Apparently, Brooke asked if she started popping pills because she was as bad of a stage manager as she was a counselor.”

Tina winced. “Wow.”

“Yea.” Max sighed. “Maybe I’m just too close to the problem. Any advice?”

“Well, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that it sounds like your friend has a pretty acute case of narcissism,” Tina offered. “Between her ego and the arrogance she’s displayed, not to mention how she talks down to everyone around here. Then again, that’s not atypical of young and ambitious doctors, especially the good ones.”

“Her husband did say that she was one of the smartest.”

“That would fit the bill.” Tina leaned back in her seat. “It would be a pretty big milestone for her to admit that she isn’t always right. Or that what she was doing is wrong.”

“Agreed.” Max threw up her hands. “I’m just having trouble getting those concepts through her thick skull.”

Tina grinned. “Have you tried a jackhammer?”

“Didn’t you JUST say that we should make it a habit to not kill patients?”

“I didn’t say you had to kill her.” Tina held up her thumb and forefinger, pinching them together to form a tiny gap. “The key is to make the hole really, really small.”

Max was still snickering as her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out to answer it. “Hey, Steph.”

“ _Hey. Where’s Brooke?_ ”

“Um…” Max checked her watch. “Well, it’s one o’clock, so shouldn’t she be in the group with you?”

“ _Yes, she should, much as I wish otherwise. So why isn’t she?_ ”

Max sat upright, taking her feet off the chair. “She’s not there?”

“ _As I’ve said._ ”

“Maybe she lost track of time. I’ll check her room.”

Max stood as she hung up, Tina following suit. “What is it?”

“Brooke’s not in the group session.” Max stuck her phone in her pocket. “I’m gonna go check on her. Maybe she took a nap or something.”

With that, she left Tina’s office, taking the stairs quickly as she headed for the patient’s rooms. She was in front of Brooke’s door in a few minutes, knocking quickly. “Brooke?” she called through the wood.

The door opened under her fist. Max hesitated, then slowly pushed it open.

The room was empty. Max stepped inside, looking around. The bed had been neatly made, and all of Brooke’s personal items were gone. She made her way to the small dresser and yanked the drawers open, finding them empty.

_Oh, shit._

Max ran out of the room, back towards the stairs, taking them two at a time as she raced for the first floor. She ran up to their front desk, colliding with it as she leaned towards one of their assistants. “Where’s Brooke?!” she demanded.

The younger blonde was taken aback at her sudden appearance. “I’m sorry?”

“Brooke Scott. Woman, late twenties, wearing glasses, dark hair in a ponytail. Did she come through here?”

“Um… yea.” The girl reached across her desk and retrieved a piece of paper. “She signed herself out half an hour ago.”

“She-” Max blinked. “What the hell do you mean, she signed herself out?!”

The blonde was looking more and more uncomfortable. “She, uh, said she was leaving. She had her duffle bag over her shoulder, and there was a cab waiting for her.”

“And you just let her go?!” Max exclaimed. “You didn’t call someone?!”

“I didn’t know I was supposed to!” the blonde exclaimed, her voice taking on a high pitch. “I’m sorry! Nobody ever told me!”

“Why the hell wouldn’t-”

Max felt a hand on her shoulder, and glanced back to see Steph behind her. “It’s not her fault,” she reminded the brunette. “This hasn’t happened yet, Max. We don’t have any procedures in place for this.”

“... yea.” Max exhaled slowly, turning back to the receptionist. “I’m sorry. Can you just… pass me her contact sheet?”

The blonde nodded, turning to open the filing cabinet beside her. She handed Max a piece of paper, and the brunette pulled out her phone to started dialing.

She stopped after two numbers. “Shit.”

“What?” Steph asked.

“It’s fake.” Max tapped the paper. “Unless her cell really is an eight-hundred number. And then three-eight-two-five-nine-six-eight…” she checked her phone. “Yep. Spells out ‘fuck you’.”

Steph sighed. “Charming.”

“Fine, then.” Max swiped on her phone. “I’ll just call her husband. I know I’ve got the right number for-”

“You can’t.”

They both looked up to see Tina walking into the reception area from the elevators. “What do you mean, we can’t?” Steph asked. “Why not?”

“HIPAA,” Tina said simply. “Brooke’s privacy is covered by federal law. If we call her husband to discuss her treatment, or lack thereof, she can sue the pants off us.”

“… crap.” Max lowered her phone. “You’re right.”

“Okay, fine,” Steph said with an agitated voice. “Then we’ll wait for him to call us.”

“HIPAA still applies.” Max rubbed her forehead. “We can’t even admit to him that she was treated here.”

“He dragged her into the fucking building kicking and screaming!”

“Doesn’t matter.” Tina leaned her elbow onto the reception counter. “Unless Brooke gives us her explicit consent, or she’s in a state where she can’t make her own decisions, we can’t discuss her treatment with her husband at all."

Max shook her head. “This sucks,” she muttered.

“Yea, it does.” Steph stood back upright. “Well, I guess on the plus side, my group session will be a lot quieter now.”

* * *

**Warren:** Did something change?

 **Max:** How do you mean?

 **Warren:** I thought you said it was a thirty-day program. Why is my wife back two weeks early?

 **Max:** I’m sorry, Warren, but I can’t comment on her treatment.

 **Warren:** HIPAA?

 **Max:** Yep.

 **Warren:** Great. Is she at least cured?

 **Max:** People don’t get “cured” of their addictions, Warren. They just learn how to handle them in a healthy way.

 **Warren:** And did she?

 **Max:** I can’t comment on her treatment, Warren.

 **Warren:** You can’t tell me anything? Like why she’s back so early?

 **Max:** Have Brooke give me permission, and I’ll tell you everything.

 **Warren:** Yea… I’m still getting a cold shoulder, so I doubt it.

 **Max:** Same.

 **Warren:** She keeps telling me that she’s fine. That she learned how to cope with things. But she won’t say anything else.

 **Warren:** Can you at least tell me if I should be worried?

 **Max:** Please don’t put me in this position.

 **Warren:** Sorry.

 **Max:** I will tell you that Narcotics Anonymous meetings are very helpful for recovering addicts. I would encourage her to try attending one.

 **Warren:** Okay. I’ll try in a few days, when she might be a little more receptive.


	10. Planning

**March 24 th, 2024**

Victoria hated seeing Max bent out of shape.

The brunette’s phone was in her hand, and it hadn’t left for several days. Even as she watched, Max checked an incoming notification again, before sighing heavily. “Still nothing?” Victoria asked.

“Nope.” Max swiped the message away. “Email from the bank.”

“The girl still hasn’t replied to any of your messages?”

“Not on Facebook. Or LinkedIn.” Max stuck the phone back in her pocket. “I tried searching for her profiles again, earlier this morning, and nothing came up. Pretty sure she’s blocked me on all her social media.”

Victoria winced. “I’m sorry.”

“Yea.” Max shook her head as she sat back on the love seat. “Me too.”

“Who’s blocked you?” Kate asked curiously, from her seat on the couch across the room.

“A former patient.”

“Why?” Taylor reclined next to Kate as a smirk crossed her face. “Did you get them hooked on something stronger?”

“Max did what now?” They turned as Vanessa walked into the living room of their house in Kenmore, with a bottle of wine in her hands. It was the day they were supposed to be meeting with the wedding planner, and Max’s mother had offered to host them and the other bridesmaids. “Sweetie, I thought we raised you better than that.”

“You are all so funny.” Max pinched the bridge of her nose. “One of our patients decided that she didn’t care for our program, and ran off halfway through. I’ve been trying to convince her to get some help for her problem, but she won’t speak to me.”

“Oof.” Kate grimaced. “Sorry.”

“Yea, that sucks,” Taylor agreed, sliding over to make room on the couch for Vanessa. “Some people don’t want to be helped, though.”

“It was our first patient,” Max muttered dejectedly.

“Sweetie, I’m sure there will be others that you can help,” Vanessa assured her as she fixed a corkscrew to the first bottle, opening it quickly. “Taylor, do you want a little or a lot?”

“After the week I’ve had? You can just fill the glass all the way.”

Kate and Victoria snickered as Vanessa complied, pouring Taylor a generous glass. “Life’s harder near the top of the building, I take it?” Max asked.

“Dude, I regret so many of my life choices.” Taylor accepted the glass, taking a large sip. “We’re the largest company on the planet, used by literally every household, and yet people still hate us. Trying to improve our public image is basically a Sisyphean task.”

“Probably because your warehouse workers are basically indentured labor,” Victoria remarked dryly.

Taylor shot her a dirty look. “They are most certainly not. We pay them fifteen bucks an hour to start, offer comprehensive health care, match half their retirement contributions, and have multiple scholarships for students. There are people who would kill for those benefits."

“Then why are there so many articles being written about fulfillment workers breaking down and crying during their shifts?”

“Because employees turn into crybabies when you make them do the work you pay them for.”

Max smirked. “Spoken like a true executive,” she observed.

Taylor narrowed her eyes. “I don’t hear either of you complaining about your free Prime membership.”

“Hey, don’t get me wrong.” Victoria shrugged. “I, for one, welcome and embrace our eventual corporate overlords.”

“Oh, shut the hell up.”

The doorbell interrupted them as it rang. “That must be Steph,” Max commented, standing up.

She made her way to the door, opening it to find Steph on her doorstep. And behind her was a woman with jet-black hair, carrying a laptop bag and a white binder. “Hey Max,” Steph greeted as she thumbed over her shoulder. “I found your wedding planner walking in circles.”

“I was trying to find the house number,” the other woman protested lightly. “They’re hard to see in this neighborhood.”

“Yea, they are.” Max stuck her hand out. “I’m Max.”

“Fiona.” She smiled as she shook Max’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you. Can I come in?”

“Please.”

* * *

“I think it’s important to start by reminding you guys that this is, despite what others would have you believe, YOUR day.”

A few minutes after introducing herself to everyone, Fiona had taken a position in front of the group and started speaking to Max and Victoria. “You two are going to get a lot of advice, solicited or not, from friends and family,” she continued. “Literally everyone with an opinion is going to give it to you, and expect you to follow through. It’s good to remember that you guys are allowed to tell anyone, including me, to take a flying leap.”

Victoria smirked. “Even though my parents are paying the bill?”

“I make sure to include in my contracts that the happy couple has final say over all planning decisions,” Fiona emphasized. “It saves everyone a lot of heartache in the long run. Besides, your father made it clear that he wants your happiness prioritized over everything else.”

Max and Victoria exchanged looks. “… okay,” Max allowed. “So… where do we start?”

“Well, first I want to gather the names of everyone who will be important to the ceremony.” Fiona bent to pick up her binder, opening it to the first page and retrieving a pen. “I’m assuming that includes everyone on this room?”

Victoria waved her arm. “Three of the four bridesmaids, and my future mother-in-law.”

“Where’s the fourth bridesmaid?”

“Couldn’t make it. She lives in Oregon.”

Fiona nodded as she took everyone’s names, creating a short list. “Will there be anyone else worth noting?” she asked as she scribbled.

Max frowned. “What does that mean?”

“Any special guests? Someone who’s important to the two of you, but won’t actually be participating in the ceremony?”

Victoria smirked. “I guess that depends on who my dad invites.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Fiona clarified. “As far as you two are concerned, they should be thrilled just to be there. So, is that a no?”

They both looked at each other and shrugged. “Nobody I can think of,” Max stated.

“Okay. Then let’s move on.” Fiona turned the page. “You guys are going to have a lot of choices to make, and all of them will lead to other, smaller decisions. But the big one is going to be the venue; where you want this wedding held.” She looked up. “Have you two had ANY thoughts about that?”

“Not really,” Victoria admitted. “We’re… kind-of new to this.”

Fiona smirked. “I imagine so. Well, is this going to be a church wedding?”

“No,” Max and Victoria said simultaneously.

Kate raised an eyebrow from the couch. “That was quick.”

“Sorry, Kate, but neither of us are really religious,” Victoria reminded her. “I don’t think our parents are, either. I know mine aren’t.”

The others turned to Vanessa, who shrugged. “We only had Max baptized to make her grandparents happy. Ryan and I haven’t been to a service in years.”

“Very well,” Fiona allowed, flipping another page. “Do you think you’d prefer someplace inside, or outdoors?”

“Inside,” Max said immediately. “I don’t feel like swatting bugs while wearing a wedding dress.”

“Are you guys thinking something classic and elegant, or maybe a little more modern?”

Max and Victoria traded glances again. “We have no idea,” Victoria admitted. “We, uh, probably should’ve put more thought into this.”

“It’s perfectly fine. Why don’t you guys all take a look at these?” Fiona drew several pamphlets, laying them on the coffee table for everyone to see. “Tell me what you guys think, in terms of appearance. Let me know if anything really stands out. And remember that nothing is set in stone until we start cutting checks.”

All of the girls leaned forward, peering through the pictures. “Woah,” Steph breathed, reaching out and touching a brochure. “Is… wait, where’s this one?”

“That’s…” Fiona double-checked the paper. “The Dreyford. A waterfront venue that looks over the Puget Sound. Very popular, and the scenery is amazing.”

“Oh, this one looks nice, too.” Vanessa reached out and tapped another brochure. “Though it looks outdoors.”

“That’s the Craycroft Manor, on the outskirts of Cougar Mountain. It takes up several acres and a couple of buildings. You would have the option of an outdoor ceremony, but an inside reception.” Fiona gave Max an amused look. “At the right time of year, any insect-swatting would be kept to the bare minimum.”

“Long way to drive from the city,” Victoria observed.

“People will live with it,” Fiona assured her. “Besides, I’ve seen the preliminary guest list. Most of those people will have their own drivers.”

Victoria perked up. “You have the guest list?”

“Well, just the rough draft, but yes.”

“Can we see it?”

Fiona plucked a sheet of paper from her binder and passed it over. Max squeezed in close to Victoria to read the names. “… isn’t that our Senator?” she asked cautiously.

“I think so.” Victoria tapped another name. “And she might be our Congresswoman.”

“Holy… wait, that’s-” Max looked back at Fiona. “Jeff Bezos’ name is on here.”

Taylor’s head snapped up. “Wait, what?!”

“He’s probably not going to come,” Fiona said quickly. “I’ve done this several times, where his name was on the guest list. It’s mostly a courtesy, he doesn’t really like weddings unless it’s his own family. He’ll probably just send a congratulatory letter and a check.”

“… a check?”

“Yea. I think it’s usually about ten grand.”

Max blinked. “Ten… grand?”

“Thereabouts.”

“Are you serious? He’ll write us a check just because Derek invited him?”

“At that level, it’s the polite thing to do, when you’re invited to a wedding of a business acquaintance’s daughter.” Fiona shrugged. “Besides, ten grand is pocket change for him. He probably has suits that cost more than that.”

Max didn’t reply, as she turned a stoic look back at the guest list. “… babe?” Victoria asked carefully. “Are you okay?”

“Yea.” Max exhaled. “Just… fully appreciating the economics of the situation.”

“Why don’t we focus back on the venues?” Fiona pulled a few more papers from her binder. “There’s one in here that I think you two will really like. It’s the Gregory Estate down south, that overlooks Mount Rainier National Park. Their reception area has an entire wall made of glass, so you guys get an incredible view of the mountain.”

“Wow,” Kate whispered in awe as she looked over the papers Fiona handed them. “God, this place is gorgeous.”

“It really is. And it’s VERY popular,” Fiona added. “They also have rooms where guests can stay the night, if they choose to. As well as a wedding suite for the happy couple, of course.”

Steph whistled, as she read the paperwork over Kate’s shoulder. “I would spring for that,” she allowed. “Though I’m sure they’ll cost an arm and a leg per night.”

“Oh, no,” Fiona assured her. “Given the amount of prep work involved for the wedding party, we would secure rooms for all of you. For the night before and after, to be included in the final bill.”

Taylor raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“Of course.”

She glanced at Victoria and Max. “This place has my vote.”

Victoria smirked, as she looked at her own paper. “I do like it,” she allowed. “That view looks amazing. We certainly wouldn’t hear any complaints from the guests, even if they-”

“How much does it cost?” Max interrupted.

Fiona seemed surprised by the question. “I’m… honestly not sure, off the top of my head,” she admitted. “I’d have to call and ask. But that isn’t something you guys need to-”

“How do you not know? Isn’t that something we need to consider?”

The planner took a slow breath, and she appraised Max. “I understand that this kind of thing isn’t what you’re used to,” she said gently. “But Max, for this sort of event, the price doesn’t matter. It’s not about a budget, it’s about what you two want.”

“But-”

“Have you ever been to Qatar, Max?”

Max blinked at the odd question. “No.”

“I planned a wedding there a little while ago, for a very famous actor. I had to visit Doha several times to make arrangements in person. And while I was visiting, I decided to check out one of their shopping malls. Have you ever been in a store that didn’t have any price tags?”

“… they didn’t have price tags?”

“They did not.”

Max looked puzzled. “Then… how do you know if you can afford stuff?”

Fiona smirked. “These aren’t malls like we have here, Max, with Macy’s and Forever 21. These malls have Gucci and Versace outlets. Luxury watches, diamonds, supercars, they sell anything and everything that the obscenely wealthy use as status symbols.”

“… okay.” Max scratched her neck. “What does this have to do with price tags?”

“There aren’t any price tags, Max, because if you have to ask, then you can’t afford it.” Fiona shrugged nonchalantly. “And if you can’t afford it, then you don’t need to be there.”

Vanessa hummed, as she leaned forward. “Which actor was it?” she asked curiously.

“A very famous one, whose marriage didn’t last very long. But I digress.” Fiona looked back at Max. “This is your wedding, and it will be the happiest day of your life. Your future father-in-law wants it to be a day that everyone will look back on fondly, most of all you two. And as far as he’s concerned, you can’t put a price tag on that.”

Max sighed, as she looked back at the paper in her hands. “I bet his accountant could.”

“Even if he were to, Mister Chase isn’t going to care.” Fiona shrugged again. “Besides, as you’ve seen, there are going to be lots of important people at your wedding. We have to make sure that everyone is either properly impressed, or extremely jealous.”

“Mm.” Max nodded slowly. “Right.”

Victoria leaned forward, to make eye contact with the brunette. “Are you okay?”

“Yea. I’m fine.” She sighed. “There’s just… people are spending a lot of money on us, and I’m not sure how comfortable I am with it.”

Fiona nodded sympathetically. “I’m sure it’s a little disconcerting,” she allowed. “But those people just want you guys to be happy.”

“Right.” Max rolled her shoulders and looked back at her. “Sorry.”

“Nothing to apologize for.” Fiona smiled. “So. The Gregory Estate. What are your thoughts?”

“I mean…” Max looked back at the paper in Victoria’s hands. “It is amazing. And I’m sure people will be impressed, like you said.”

“They absolutely will. Would you like me to arrange a day for you guys to visit?”

Max and Victoria exchanged glances. “I wouldn’t mind,” the blonde allowed. “Views like that, we need to see for ourselves.”

“Perfect. I’ll call them tomorrow morning.” Fiona turned to a new page in her binder. “Now, there’s the matter of food and drink. Of course, there will be a full-service bar-”

“Um.” Victoria slowly raised her hand. “I, uh… don’t drink.”

“Neither of us do,” Max added quickly. “So we need non-alcoholic champagne.”

Steph raised a hand. “Same.”

Kate followed suit. “I don’t really drink either,” she offered. “Plus, I’ll have my daughter with me, so I’m staying sober.”

“Ah. Okay.” Fiona produced a pen. “I’ll make a note that the wedding party won’t be drinking.”

“Uh, excuse me.” Taylor looked offended, as she put a hand to her chest. “SOME of the wedding party is definitely drinking.”

Victoria smirked. “You’re not going to join us in sobriety?”

“Fuck that.” Taylor grinned. “It’s a wedding with free top-shelf booze, and I probably won’t have a date. Mama’s getting her drink on.”

* * *

“You could drink if you wanted, you know.”

Max paused mid-teeth brushing, glancing at Victoria. “Huh?” she mumbled.

“At the wedding.” Victoria sat on the edge of their bed as she removed her earrings, the two of them getting ready to go to sleep later that night. “I know you don’t drink because of me. I’m just saying that you can, if you want.”

“Mm.” Max turned back and bent over, spitting out her toothpaste. “What makes you think I want to?”

“Well, I know you at least like wine.”

“I don’t like it enough to miss it.”

Victoria deposited her jewelry in a bowl on her nightstand before turning back to Max, the brunette rinsing her mouth and spitting in the sink. “I’m not saying you miss it. I’m saying that I won’t be mad at you if you have some.”

Max dropped her toothbrush into a cup on their sink before leaving, turning off the bathroom light. “I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t buy into the stereotype that every special occasion requires alcohol. And I find it pretty childish that some people do.” She made sure her phone was plugged in before getting into bed, sliding under the covers. “I also want to support my incredible fiancée, who’s almost on a five-year streak of clean living.”

Victoria smirked. “I am pretty damn incredible.”

“As I’ve said.”

“Still. It’s a big party, and a lot of people will be drinking.” Victoria joined Max, sitting beside her. “I don’t want you to feel that you can’t join them just because of my issues.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I’m that susceptible to peer pressure?”

“Not that I’ve seen.”

“Do you think that I need to get drunk if I want to enjoy our wedding?”

“I hope not.”

“Then why are you making a thing about this?”

Victoria bit her lip. “… I know you’re not really comfortable with everything,” she admitted. “All the money my dad is blowing on this, plus the huge guest list and all the trimmings that come with it. I just don’t want you to feel that you have to hold back or anything because of me.”

Max absorbed that, before shaking her head. She reached over and squeezed Victoria’s hand. “You don’t hold me back,” she said gently. “If anything, you help push me forward.”

“… I do?”

“Babe, I’ve spent the past ten years of my life with a secret I couldn’t tell anyone about.” Max waved her hand. “I’ve always felt like I had to hold back, because of how people would react and what they would do. And now that you know, I actually feel… empowered, I guess.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t before?”

“Not really, no.” Max shrugged. “You’ve been saying for years, that I made you a better person. But you did the same for me.”

“Mm.” Victoria smirked. “I don’t quite think it’s the same.”

“Nevertheless. So no, I do not feel the overwhelming desire to drink at our wedding.”

“I don’t know about that.” Victoria nodded at her phone. “When Courtney and Taylor get hammered, they tend to buy rounds of shots. And they’re pretty good at getting people to join them.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re in charge of the bartender.” Max smirked back. “We can institute a ‘no shots’ rule at the reception.”

“What, you don’t want to watch our friends puke into potted plants in front of our Senator?”

“You know, as hilarious as that might be…”


	11. Family

**April 13 th, 2024**

“This feels heavier than I thought it’d be.”

Victoria watched Lindsey run her thumb over the red thirty-day token. “It’s low-quality plastic,” she reminded her. “They’re mass-produced in China.”

“I know. It’s just… heavy.” Lindsey shrugged. “I don’t know why. Or how to describe it.”

“Symbolic, maybe?” Victoria offered.

“I guess, for lack of a better term.”

Victoria smirked as she looked over the blonde. It had only been a couple of weeks, but she had noticed a definite change in Lindsey. While the other girl’s wardrobe hadn’t upgraded much, she did seem to be a lot more alert, and her makeup had improved dramatically. Her hair was also less ragged, though she still kept it under her beanie like Steph. “Well, we’re still happy for you,” she assured her. “Thirty days is a big milestone.”

Lindsey scoffed. “If you say so.”

“Hey, I couldn’t do it without a dedicated counselor,” Victoria told her. “Someone had to literally hold my hand for a month straight. You should be proud that you did it on your own.”

“Really?” Lindsey looked at her. “You had your own counselor?”

“Sure did.” Victoria leaned back in her seat. “I was an angry little shit who didn’t care for anyone’s help. My parents forced me to go into rehab as a last-ditch effort, after I overdosed.”

“Oh. Wow.” Lindsey looked back at the token in her hand. “… wish my mom cared that much about me.”

 _Huh._ Victoria blinked. _That’s the first time she’s mentioned her family._

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked carefully.

“No.” Lindsey’s reply was quick in coming.

“… alright.” Victoria nodded. “Well, hey, thirty days. Halfway to sixty.”

She let out a long sigh. “Yea,” she agreed. “Still feels like it’s crawling.”

“Hey, it’s one more month,” Victoria reminded her. “You’ve already done thirty days. People marry and divorce in less time than that. You’ll see your daughter before you know it.”

Lindsey smirked. “I guess,” she allowed. “The, uh, social worker said I was doing good. And that if I pass a drug test the Wednesday before, then I’ll see her that Saturday.”

“That’s great.” Victoria smiled. “How’s she doing?”

“Pretty good, I guess. The foster family she’s with sends me pictures a couple of times a week.”

“Do they really?”

She nodded. “I thought they’d be assholes about the whole thing,” she admitted. “But they’re really cool. We’ve emailed a few times, about her favorite food and what stories she wants to hear at bedtime. And they said they’re okay with doing video calls, when the social worker says I can.”

“Glad to hear it.” Victoria glanced around, noting that everyone was leaving the church. “Well, it’s been a few days since your beef fix. Ready to go grab a burger?”

“Very.”

* * *

“Can I ask you a question?”

Victoria looked up from her sandwich, noting the inquisitive expression on Lindsey’s face. “Sure.”

“Are you rich?”

 _Ah._ Victoria sighed as she slowly put her food down. _Wondered if this was gonna come up._

“No,” she answered. “Well… not really.”

“Not really?”

“I don’t have a lot of money. I started my own photography business about a year ago, and pretty much everything I own is tied up in that.” She paused. “But my parents are rich.”

“Ah.” Lindsey looked at her appraisingly. “How rich?”

“Very. I grew up as the definition of ‘privileged’, until they cut me off for spending their money on cocaine.” Victoria tilted her head. “Why do you ask?”

“You mentioned that you had your own counselor. I was just curious.” Lindsey shrugged. “If you were rich, then why did you start doing coke?”

“It’s a really long and complicated story.”

“Not like we have anything better to do.”

“Hmm.” Victoria plucked a fry from her plate and ate it, chewing slowly before swallowing, then leaned forward. “Tell you what, I’ll make you a deal.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ll tell you all about why I got hooked on coke. And every fucked-up, sordid detail between then and now.” She paused. “But I’d really to know why you don’t want to talk about your family.”

Lindsey’s face went blank, and she blinked several times before dropping her gaze. Victoria almost immediately wished she hadn’t asked, but it was too late to take it back. The other blonde eventually licked her lips before speaking.

“… because we’re about seven different kinds of fucked up,” she muttered, scratching at the back of her hand. “I think I’ve got five other siblings, for starters.”

“You… I’m sorry, you think?”

“Yea, I’m not sure. Might be six or seven.” Lindsey looked back up. “My mom lived with about a dozen different guys when I was little. And I think I remember having other brothers and sisters, but when their dads left, they vanished too. I don’t know if they were actually my siblings or not.” She shrugged. “I just remember us all being packed like sardines into one of the smallest houses in Othello.”

 _One of Seattle’s lovelier districts,_ Victoria thought dryly. Though she kept it to herself.

“I don’t think my mom worked, either,” Lindsey continued. “I know she’d leave us alone all day, then come back after the sun went down. Not sure what she did, but she usually came home either drunk or high. And the guys that lived with us weren’t much better; I think they were mostly homeless, or living out of their cars.”

“They’re your sibling’s fathers?” Victoria surmised.

“Some of them, yea. Then they’d leave, and we’d never see them again.” She rubbed her arms, clearly uncomfortable. “… usually for the best.”

_… shit._

_I really don’t want to know what that means._

“What about your siblings?” Victoria asked quickly. “Where are they?”

“Matt and Jessica are dead.” Lindsey said the sentence casually, like she was talking about her lunch. “Jessica drove drunk and ran her boyfriend’s car into a telephone pole. But my brother… well, he started dealing drugs in Beacon Hill when he was fifteen. Cops showed up one day and told my mom that he’d been killed in a shoot-out.”

“Oh.” Victoria bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”

Lindsey just shrugged. “Jackson’s in jail,” she continued. “He was trying to get revenge for Matt and stabbed two people. One of them died. He’s serving twenty-five years for that. But my other sister, Melissa, and my brother Will…” she paused. “I don’t know where they are.”

“You don’t?”

“Melissa ditched us when she was sixteen. I was ten at the time.” Lindsey scoffed. “She was always the smart one. Only one of us who really bothered with school. I think she actually made the honor roll, before she left us all behind. I’m not sure where she is, but I’ll bet she’s doing fucking peachy without us.”

Victoria could sense the contention, but she decided to ignore it. “And Will?”

Lindsey sighed heavily. “… my mom sold the house when I was seventeen,” she muttered. “Will was twelve. I was barely home back then; I’d pretty much ghosted high school, and I was living with my twenty-year-old ex-boyfriend in a camper van. I tried to go home one day and found a big ‘sold’ sign in front of our empty house, and all the locks had been changed. No idea where her and Will went.”

“… oh.” Victoria itched at her hand. “Hell. I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.”

“What about your dad? Can you ask him for help?”

“I’d have to know who he was, first. There were a few possible candidates, according to my mom, and none of them are really ideal.” Lindsey looked back up at Victoria. “One of my mom’s boyfriends was the one who gave me my first pill.”

Victoria did a double take. “He did? What? Why?”

“I got in a fight at school, and the other girl split my lip when she punched me in the face. It was really bad. Like, I was covered in blood when I got home.” She shook her head. “We were too broke to really go to the ER, but that asshole always had money for pills. And I think he liked me well enough. He tossed me a bottle full of Percocet and told me to go take a nap.”

 _… Jesus._ Victoria felt like she was meeting an entirely new person, as she stared across the table. _Man, she’s lucky she’s not dead in a ditch or something. Seems like she should be, statistically._

“I’m sorry,” she offered sincerely. “I really am.”

“Appreciate it.”

“No, I…” She struggled for words. “You were stuck in a fucked-up situation, and it wasn’t your fault. I can’t imagine the kind of hell you went through growing up. Or the thought of anyone else judging where you’ve been.”

Lindsey’s mouth twitched. “Well. Sorry to break the news that your sponsee is a champion loser.”

“You’re not a… actually, you know what?” Victoria leaned forward. “Honestly, that makes what you’re doing even more amazing.”

“It does?”

“After all that? Nobody would blame you if you sat in the corner of a room and popped pills for the rest of your life. That fact that you’ve been able to make progress and turn yourself around is what Hollywood movies are made of.”

Lindsey licked her lips before responding. “It’s only been a month,” she replied. “And honestly… some days it only feels like I stay sober because I can’t afford pills.”

“If you really wanted those pills, you would’ve gotten them. Trust me, I know.” Victoria nodded. “Like I said, you should be proud of yourself. Not everyone can do what you’re doing.”

“… thanks. I guess.” Lindsey sighed slowly, before meeting Victoria’s gaze. “Your turn.”

“Sorry?”

“I told you my fucked-up life story. So, how did you fall from grace?”

Victoria hummed, as she straightened up in her chair. “Well… I don’t think it’s as inspirational as yours,” she lamented. “And you’re probably gonna think that I’m a spoiled little brat.”

“Even better.”

She snorted in amusement. “Well, it started when I was a Junior in high school. Back in Oregon, there’s a tiny little shithole of a town called Arcadia Bay…”

* * *

“… wow.”

“Thanks.” Victoria sipped at her drink. “What do you think?”

“Well.” Lindsey scratched the back of her neck. “You do kind of sound like a spoiled brat.”

“Told you so.”

“Yea, you did. That’s a lot to absorb.” She picked up another fry from her plate, popping it into her mouth to chew and swallow. “That guy, your drug dealer. He’s still in jail?”

“He is. Plead out to stabbing my fiancée in exchange for a twelve-year sentence.”

“And that teacher? Jefferson?”

“Also in jail. But he got life without parole.”

“Good.” She shuddered. “Psychos like that freak me out.”

“I know. And he had my name written down on one of his binders.” Victoria shuddered, too. “Still makes my skin crawl, when I think about it.”

Lindsey nodded. “And… you never slipped up?” she asked. “Not even once?”

“I didn’t. Closest I came was that eight-ball.” Victoria leaned forward. “But like I said, I had a live-in babysitter.”

“Yea.” Lindsey looked at her lap. “Still.”

Victoria tilted her head. “How many times did you try to stop taking pills?”

“… four,” Lindsey admitted. “I kept trying, after Anna was born. But it hurt too much to stop.”

“Withdrawals.” Victoria nodded. “I’ve heard they really suck, for painkillers.”

A corner of Lindsey’s mouth twitched. “Little bit.”

“Are you still feeling cravings?”

“Sometimes.” Lindsey looked back up. “… but I know if I take another pill, they won’t let me see Anna. And the social worker said that if I start failing drug tests over and over, or I don’t go, they’ll have a judge take away my rights.”

_… bummer._

“It’s temporary,” Victoria stressed, leaning in. “Remember that. Sixty days, to show you’re serious, and then you can start seeing her again. You will get her back.”

“My friend said that, too.” Lindsey gave a half-hearted shrug. “Still barely feels like it. Starbucks pays me just above minimum wage, and I have to give some of that to her for food.”

Victoria nodded sympathetically. “You’ll figure things out,” she assured her. “Everything will be fine in the end.”

The look on Lindsey’s face told her that the other blonde saw things differently.

* * *

“Do NOT give her any money.”

Victoria blinked, as she looked across the table at Max. “When did I say anything about giving her money?”

“You didn’t.” Max leaned forward. “But I can tell that you’re thinking about it.”

“… maybe a little,” Victoria admitted. “Not like my dad would miss it. And she could sure use it.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Max shook her head. “Sobriety is about picking yourself back up from where you fell down. Taking handouts isn’t going to help anyone.”

“This is coming from the girl who took a ton of money from my dad to get me clean?” She pointed out. “Besides, it’s not like I had to pay to live here.”

“All I did was help out,” Max countered. “You still did all the hard work. And your waitressing job was how you picked yourself back up, you just paid for tuition instead of rent. I don’t think I’ve ever told you, but that was my idea, not your dad’s.”

Victoria arched an eyebrow. “It was?”

Max nodded.

“Ah.” She leaned back. “Well… you were right.”

“I know. Almost like I knew what I was doing.”

“Yea, yea. Oh, and speaking of knowing what you’re doing.” Victoria nodded at her phone. “Did you go through the list of officiants Fiona sent us?”

Max squirmed. “… no.”

“You were supposed to.”

“I know. I forgot.” She sighed. “Also, I REALLY don’t care who does it, so long as they can sign the marriage certificate.”

Victoria hummed. “You know, you can do that by finishing an online course,” she offered. “So, we could technically have anyone do it.”

“Really?”

“Sure.” She brightened at a thought. “Ooh! I bet if we paid her enough money, we could get Ellen DeGeneres to fly up and marry us!”

Max frowned. “Ellen? Why? We don’t watch her show.”

“Hey, my dad wants to impress people, remember?”

“Okay, first of all, that seems a little tacky.” Max paused, a smirk coming over her face. “And second, if we’re getting a celebrity to officiate our wedding, we’re getting Neil Patrick Harris.”

“Huh.” Victoria pondered that response. “… you think he’d work magic into the bit? Or is that TOO tacky?”

* * *

**Courtney:** Okay, I made the changes. Tell me what you guys think.

 **Courtney:** <dresses.jpg>

 **Victoria:** … holy crap, you actually know what you’re doing.

 **Courtney:** By the way, the silk can be made in any color combinations we want. So once you and Max settle on a venue, we’ll figure out what your color scheme will be. The red is just a placeholder.

 **Victoria:** Honestly, that looks amazing by itself.

 **Courtney:** Thanks, but if you’re doing a wedding at the foot of Mount Rainier, you probably want something a little warmer, like burgundy or a light green.

 **Victoria:** That is our preferred venue right now. We’re going out to look at it next week.

 **Courtney:** Perfect. I need you to tell me IMMEDIATELY if you decide to use it.

 **Victoria:** Why?

 **Courtney:** The silk has to be commissioned. And they have a four-month backlog, if we pay to jump the peasants.

 **Victoria:** Four months?!

 **Courtney:** That’s just to get it. Never mind actually making these dresses.

 **Victoria:** How long will THAT take?

 **Courtney:** Depends. I’ll have to come up to Seattle and get everyone’s measurements.

 **Courtney:** And if any of those bitches put on weight after I start sewing, I’ll stab them with my shears.

* * *

**Max:** Ellen DeGeneres, or Neil Patrick Harris. Who would officiate your wedding?

 **Kate:** … wow, that’s hard.

 **Steph:** Yea, it is. Both good choices.

 **Kate:** This is hypothetical, right?

 **Max:** VERY hypothetical. Unless we decide that it isn’t.

 **Kate:** Honestly, I’d probably go with Ellen. I love her show.

 **Steph:** Yea, but NPH is hilarious. You know he’d kill it with his speech.

 **Kate:** This isn’t a joke wedding. I think Ellen would be better for a serious occasion.

 **Steph:** You watch her show, and you think Ellen would keep it serious?

 **Kate:** Better than NPH!

 **Kate:** Besides, which one would you get? Doogie Houser, or Barney Stinson?

 **Steph:** I don’t see how either one is bad!

 **Kate:** Then you’ve clearly never watched HIMYM!

 **Max:** Please don’t argue! This is hypothetical!

 **Steph:** I did watch that show! There’s nothing wrong with Barney Stinson!

 **Kate:** He’s a sleazy alcoholic womanizer!

 **Steph:** I KNOW!! I’M SO JEALOUS!!

 **Max:** … I regret this.

* * *

**Victoria:** Quick question. If you guys had to choose between Ellen DeGeneres or Neil Patrick Harris to officiate the wedding, who would it be?

 **Taylor:** Why?

 **Victoria:** Wondering what the consensus was. Kate and Steph seem to be pretty divided.

 **Courtney:** Well, if the theme is gay actors? I pick Matt Bomer.

 **Taylor:** Ooh. I second. And he has to be shirtless.

 **Courtney:** Well OBVIOUSLY he’s gonna be shirtless.

 **Taylor:** It’s decided. Have your dad’s people call Matt Bomer for a quote.

 **Victoria:** You remember that he’s not into women, right?

 **Taylor:** Just because we can’t eat the cake doesn’t mean we can’t watch it get undressed.

 **Courtney:** You think if we paid extra, he’d rub baby oil on his abs?

 **Taylor:** I bet if we paid enough, we could watch him do it.

 **Courtney:** Or we could do it for him.

 **Victoria:** … knew I could count on both of you.


	12. Venue

**April 30 th, 2024**

“Still no apology, huh?”

Kate sighed, as she shook her head. “Not one that I’m willing to accept,” she explained. “I got a couple of apologies that weren’t really apologies. Like, she’s sorry I got upset. Or she’s sorry, but… and then she tries to defend herself.”

“Wow.” Max rolled her eyes as she sat on Kate’s couch. “She still trying to hook you up with guys from her church?”

“No, thankfully. I’ve managed to nip THAT in the bud.” Kate smirked. “I was very clear that if she did that ever again, our lunch meetings were over. She tried to argue before my dad actually told her to stop, and that she wasn’t helping herself.”

“Your dad stood up to her?”

“I was just as surprised as you are.”

Victoria leaned forward from her seat beside Max. “When do you think she’ll meet Alice?”

“Well, I’ve already told her that she needs to offer a sincere apology before we even discuss it.” Kate shrugged. “So the ball’s in her court. I think my dad’s getting fed up with her behavior too, though, because he got pretty irate when we met last month.”

“You think you might get one today?”

“We’ll see. I know he wants to meet her pretty badly.”

Max shook her head. “I’m sure your mom will come around. I mean, your entire family has told her that what she did was messed up.”

“I hope so. But she is pretty stubborn. I’m not gonna hold my breath.” Kate sighed again. “Thanks for taking Alice, by the way. I really appreciate it, and I know you guys had plans.”

“Of course. And you know we’re happy to take her with us,” Victoria added. “You sure you’re okay with us being gone until dinnertime? It’s a long drive.”

“You guys are doing me a favor, remember?” Kate smirked. “I only ask that she comes back in one piece.”

“Jeez, talk about a high bar.”

A thundering of footsteps drew their attention as the four-year-old ran down the stairs. “You ready to go, kiddo?” Kate called.

“Yep!” Alice ran up to Victoria proudly holding out her hands. “Aunt Victoria, lookit what Aunt Lynn gave me!”

“Oh, wow!” Victoria gasped, fawning over the instant camera in the child’s hands. “That is so cool! Are you taking lots of pictures?”

“Uh huh! Watch!” Alice lifted the camera and hit the shutter button.

Victoria flinched at the unexpected flash, as the camera spit out the photo. “Ouch,” Max grunted, as she rubbed her eyes. “That’s bright.”

“Alice, I’ve told you not to do that in people’s faces,” Kate scolded lightly.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Victoria held her hand out. “Can I see?”

Alice deposited the camera in her hands, and Victoria pretended to inspect it closely. “You know, your Aunt Max has one just like this,” she mentioned off-handedly.

“She does?”

“No I don’t,” Max said quickly.

Victoria shot her a look. “I gave it to you for your birthday, remember?”

“… oh. Right.” Max exhaled, nodding. “I, uh, forgot. I’ve never found any film for it.”

“Well, it’s an older model.” Victoria looked back at Alice. “Are you gonna take some pictures for your mom today?”

Alice nodded vigorously.

“Then we’d better get a move on. It’s a couple-hour drive.” Victoria stood, Max standing behind her. “Grab your coat too, kiddo. It might get a little chilly.”

* * *

The drive was mostly quiet, other than the low music playing over the radio of Victoria’s Prius. Max mostly watched the scenery, occasionally looking at her phone as they headed towards Mount Rainier.

“How long has it been since you used that camera?” Victoria finally asked, as they got closer to the venue.

Max glanced at her. “Which camera?”

“You know which camera.”

The brunette hesitated, looking over her shoulder. Alice was ignoring both of them as she sat in her booster seat, tapping away at a game on Victoria’s phone. “… why?” she asked.

“I’m just curious.”

“Um…” Max glanced up in thought. “I don’t think I’ve used it since right before I proposed.”

“Not even since you opened the rehab center?”

“No. Although I’ve thought about it.” Max sighed. “But we’ve got about twenty patients at any given time. Actually, we were almost at full capacity last week. If I start taking photos again, we’ll probably go bankrupt just buying film.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “You know that’s not true.”

Max snorted in amusement. “Okay, but I think your father would wonder why I was buying so much.”

“Mm. He does see what we buy on that card, so yea, probably.” Victoria paused. “Or… you could just take selfies with your phone?”

“I’ve tried. It doesn’t work.”

“Really?” Victoria looked at Max. “Why not?”

Max double-checked that Alice was ignoring them, before looking back at Victoria. “I didn’t make the rules, in case you forgot,” she muttered. “It only seems to work with printed photos.”

Victoria hummed. “Why don’t you just print those from your camera, then?”

“Tried that, too. Still didn’t work.” Max shook her head. “I guess it has to be photo paper.”

“Why don’t you print those pictures on photo paper, then?”

Max opened her mouth, but froze. Victoria waited for an answer.

“… huh,” the brunette finally uttered.

“Didn’t think about that, did you?”

“If that works, I will be so mad.” Max slouched in her seat. “I could have saved so much fucking money.”

“That’s a bad word,” Alice pipped up from her seat.

“Yea, Max, that’s a bad word.” Victoria smiled widely. “What kind of example are you setting for the next generation?”

The brunette narrowed her eyes. “Keep it up, and it won’t be a very good one.”

“I don’t think Kate would…” Victoria’s voice trailed off. “Wow.”

Max followed her fiancée’s gaze, noting the trees as they parted to reveal their first good view of the mountain. “Woah,” Max breathed. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this close before.”

“Cool!” Alice exclaimed, as she dropped the phone and grabbed her camera. “I wanna take a pit’chure!”

“Not yet!” Victoria said quickly. “Wait until we get to the venue, Alice. You don’t want to waste your film shooting through the window of a car.”

“… okay,” Alice grumbled. “Are we there yet?”

“Almost.” Max checked her phone. “Just a few more minutes.”

* * *

“Man, it looks even nicer than it did from the car.”

Victoria nodded as she looked through the segmented glass windows. They were just like Fiona had described, going from the floor all the way to the ceiling. In the early-afternoon sunlight, the view of the mountain was incredible.

“What do you think the odds are that it’ll rain on our wedding day?” Victoria asked cautiously.

“… crap.” Max glanced at her. “It is Seattle.”

“We don’t get as much rain up here as they do in the city.” Their female tour guide spoke up from behind them. “Of course, it could still happen. But it’s less likely.”

“What about during the wedding?” Max asked. “What if it rains on that date?”

“Unfortunately, we can’t make any guarantees that it won’t.” The tour guide shrugged. “We can still go forward, if it does. The ceremony can take place in the field out back, or we can do it in our second reception area. Either space looks lovely, and we can make the necessary changes at a moment’s notice.”

“I guess that works.” Victoria looked at her. “I suppose you guys book out at least a year in advance?”

“Are you interested in making a reservation?”

“More interested, now that we’ve seen the place.”

The tour guide nodded as she consulted her iPad. “It would depend on when you want to get married,” she allowed. “We do charge a premium that not everyone can afford, so we’re not as booked as everyone thinks. But the busy wedding seasons are pretty full. The earliest I could get you in is June, but that’s probably too soon.”

“Yea, definitely,” Max agreed. “Nobody’s pregnant, so we’re not in any rush.”

The guide chuckled as she scrolled on her calendar. “Well, we have a couple of weekends open in the later summer and early fall. Although…” she looked up. “Have you two considered a winter wedding?”

They traded glances. “No,” Victoria admitted. “I certainly haven’t.”

“We do several of them every year. I think the property actually looks better in the winter, especially with a little snow on the ground.” She tapped her screen a few more times before passing them the tablet. “These are from a couple of weddings we did in January. What do you think?”

Max took the tablet, and the two girls looked over the pictures closely. They showed two young couples marrying with about an inch of snow on the ground, framed by the mountain behind them. “… damn,” Victoria breathed. “That looks amazing.”

“I know. God, look at the cloak on that girl.” Max zoomed in on it, a white fur cloak held together with a silver clasp. “That looks gorgeous.”

“Ooh, look at that one.” Victoria pointed as they continued to scroll. “I like that, too. The brown suede jacket on top of the white dress.”

“Okay, I really like this.” Max nodded. “Although our guests might not.”

“So what? There’s only gonna be a dozen people we actually care about.” Victoria looked back at the tour guide. “How likely is it to snow?”

“If you do it in the winter, almost a hundred-percent guaranteed.” She gestured through the windows. “Ideally, on your wedding day, it won’t be snowing. Or if it does, no more than light flurries. And we have propane heaters that we can set up for the guests.”

“Probably won’t be outside for long anyway,” Victoria allowed.

“True. I suggest you limit the ceremony to no more than thirty minutes.” The guide took the tablet and flipped back to the calendar. “We have a few openings for the winter months. If you take the second weekend in December, that’ll give your planner plenty of time to get everything else situated.”

Max and Victoria exchanged glances again. “… I think we need to talk it over with Fiona,” Max allowed. “But I do kind-of like the idea.”

“Me too.” Victoria nodded towards the tablet. “Do we need to pay now, to reserve the date?”

“No. We can hold it for a little while, until you make a final decision.”

“Then let’s do that. But I really like this idea. I mean, it looks amazing in those photos. And the reception area looks good too.” Victoria glanced at the room behind them. It was quite large and included a spacious dance floor. Several tables were set up already, as well as the closed bar. “Is this what it would look like for the wedding?”

“No, it’s currently set up for a conference that starts tomorrow. We contract out with a furniture company to bring in whatever you guys want.” She turned the tablet back around. “These are some of the weddings we’ve done in the past.”

Max and Victoria examined the photos closely. “Okay, I love those chairs,” Max allowed as she pointed to a bride and groom in high-backed seats. “They look like thrones.”

“We can make those available. And we have a variety of table-and-chair setups for you to choose from.” The woman nodded. “We’ve spoken to your coordinator. I understand we have several guests who will be staying the full weekend?”

“Our bridal party. And our parents.”

“Well, we have eight rooms that can be reserved, one of which is the wedding suite.”

Victoria and Max traded glances. “That should be enough,” Victoria allowed, turning back to the tour guide. “What about catering? Or a band?”

“The only services we offer on-site are alcohol, so I’m afraid you’ll have to source the other vendors. But we’ve already given your coordinator a list of contractors we’ve had good experiences with in the past,” the guide quickly assured them.

“Perfect.” Victoria looked at Max. “Although I’m sure she’s already got her own preferred list.”

Max shrugged. “Nothing wrong with having a few extra…”

The brunette’s voice trailed off, and Victoria watched her face fall out of focus for the briefest of moments. It took her a second to realize what had just happened, because it had been so long since she’d seen it. Once it registered, her heartrate spiked.

“Babe?” she asked, trying to keep her voice level. “You okay?”

“Yep. I’m fine.” Max turned to their guide, who didn’t seem to notice anything amiss. “Sorry, where’s your bathroom?”

“Through those double-doors.” She pointed towards the far side of the room, at the exit that was up a short flight of stairs. “Then down the hall, to the left.”

Max left immediately, speed-walking towards the doors. Victoria didn’t take her eyes off her fiancée. _What the hell is going on?_

As she watched, Alice appeared in the doorway, running quickly; the girl had stayed in the hallway to play with her camera and take pictures. “Aunt Max!” she called as she ran towards her, camera in one hand and a photo in the other. “Lookit my pit’chure! I saw a-”

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion from there.

Alice got to the top of the stairs when she tripped on a chair leg that stuck out just slightly. Victoria watched the girl’s eyes widen as she let out a yelp of surprise and flew forward, going head-first over the stairs. Her face was on a direct path to contact the tile floor below her.

Until Max got there just in time and caught her, a hair’s breadth from impacting the floor.

Victoria and the tour guide both started in alarm as Max staggered under Alice’s weight, gently setting the girl down. “Oh my God!” Victoria exclaimed, as they both raced towards them. “Alice! Are you okay?!”

“… uh huh,” the girl gasped, her face still a mask of shock.

Max stood Alice back upright, though she kept a tight grip on her shoulders. “Are you sure?” she asked in a high voice. “Did you hurt your foot?”

“No.” Alice’s voice was low, and she was breathing fast.

“Good.” Max breathed a sigh of relief as she nudged the girl’s chin, so she could make eye contact. “No more running inside. Okay?”

“Okay.” Alice held up the picture with a shaky hand. “I saw a deer.”

“That’s awesome.” Max smiled as she patted Alice’s shoulder. “Why don’t you show your Aunt Victoria, kiddo. I’ll be right back."

* * *

The rest of the tour was uneventful. As was the drive back into the city. It was after dinner by the time they got back to Tacoma.

“Gosh,” Kate breathed as she looked through the pictures Alice had taken. “I wish I’d come with you. This place looks gorgeous.”

“It is. Definitely worth seeing in person. And the photos they have of the snow.” Victoria nodded. “We asked them to reserve a date for December. Gives us plenty of time to arrange everything else, and for Courtney to make the dresses.”

“What date?”

“We’ll let everyone know once it’s confirmed.”

“Okay.” Kate set the photos down. “God, I am super-excited for this. I definitely should’ve gone with you.”

Max adopted a look of concern. “Was your lunch that bad?”

“No. But… it wasn’t great, either.” Kate sighed heavily. “I finally got an actual apology from my mother, for her behavior during the funeral.”

“But…” Victoria prodded.

“I’m ninety-nine-percent certain it didn’t come from her.” Kate shook her head. “Pretty sure she only did it because my father made her. It was the most forced-sounding apology I’ve ever heard in my life.”

Max hummed. “Well, you did say that he wanted to meet Alice pretty bad.”

“He does. But now I’m torn between accepting her insincere apology or continuing to punish my father for something that’s not his fault.”

Victoria winced. “Tough call.”

“I know.” Kate sighed again. “… I’ll probably let them meet her. I don’t know if this fight is worth the effort anymore. And I did technically get what I wanted.”

“Well.” Max leaned forward. “I’m all for you holding your ground and asserting boundaries. But it probably is time to let it go. Besides, you can always punt her to the curb later, if she starts acting up again.”

Kate nodded. “True.”

“You should probably have some people here that’ll back you up, though,” Victoria added. “If you need it.”

“Oh, of course. I’m not stupid.” Kate smirked. “I plan on inviting Gabriella.”

“Oof.” Max winced. “Now I feel bad for your mom.”

“Do you really?”

“No.”

Footsteps drew their attention, and they turned as Alice entered the kitchen while dressed in pajamas. She was carrying a large book under one arm. “Mom, can Aunt Max read me the story?” she asked sweetly.

Kate looked at her. “If she wants.”

“Of course.” Max stood up and smiled. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s get you in bed.”

* * *

They left fifteen minutes later, after saying goodbye to Kate.

“What happened?” Victoria asked as soon as they got in the car.

Max glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. I saw what you did at the estate.”

“… oh.” Max sighed, sinking into the passenger seat. “I forgot you can see when I do that.”

“Yea. So?”

“Alice fell down the stairs.” Max shrugged. “I mean, you saw how close she came. Before I did my thing, she hit the floor face-first.”

“How bad was she hurt?”

“Pretty bad.” Max glanced at her. “At least a split lip. Maybe a broken nose, too. It was hard to tell; she was screaming, and there was a lot of blood.”

“Christ.” Victoria let out a slow breath, then hit the button to start the car. “Good thing you rewound. If we brought a broken kid back to Kate, she might not be our friend anymore.”

“That’s what I figured.”

Victoria was still backing out of Kate’s driveway when a thought struck her. “I haven’t seen you do that for a while. Do you really not do it that often?”

“No, not really?” Max looked puzzled. “I’ve told you that I don’t do it that much.”

“Not even with your patients?”

“I… well, I do use it for them, sometimes.”

“Like what?” Victoria looked at her. “When was the last time you did it, before today?”

Max looked up in thought. “A few days ago,” she allowed. “I was working with a guy, trying to get him to open up about his childhood. But I only had an hour with him, and he was being pretty tight-lipped. I rewound a few times to get him to open up faster.”

“Before that?”

“When I was hosting a meeting between a girl and her mother. I rewound so we could avoid an argument.”

“And before that?”

“I think it was to stop Jerry from spilling soda all over the conference table.”

Victoria smirked. “So it has more convenient, less altruistic uses.”

“Excuse me, that soda went all over three patient files.” Max sounded offended. “It was extremely altruistic, thank you very much. Can I ask why you want to know when I rewind?”

“I guess I’m just curious.” Victoria shrugged as she took a turn. “Like I’ve said, I keep coming up with selfish reasons to rewind time. It feels like something I’d do more often than a couple of times a week.”

Max tilted her head. “Are you jealous?”

“… sometimes,” she admitted. “But… I also know what those powers have cost you.”

The brunette’s smirk faded, and she dropped her gaze. “… yea,” she muttered. “They did.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to belittle it.”

“No, it’s fine.” Max glanced back up. “They did cost me a lot. But… they also got me you.” She smiled. “I’ll take the good with the bad.”

Victoria smiled back. “… someone’s looking to get laid when she gets home.”

“Well, if we don’t have anything else to do.”


	13. Texts

**Victoria:** How mad would you be if we made this a winter wedding?

 **Courtney:** Why? Is that a possibility?

 **Victoria:** Max and I have been talking about it. The tour guide at the estate showed us a bunch of pictures, and we kind-of fell in love with the idea of having a wedding in the snow.

 **Victoria:** But the ceremony would be outside, and we don’t want you guys to freeze. Hence why I’m asking.

 **Courtney:** From a dress standpoint? I think we can make it work.

 **Victoria:** Really?

 **Courtney:** Yea. I’m thinking light blue for the dresses, to complement the snow. We can add some jackets without sacrificing style. Maybe light brown leather or suede, with fur cuffs.

 **Courtney:** And matching accessories. Gloves and boots for sure, maybe scarves and earmuffs.

 **Victoria:** How much longer would that be to make?

 **Courtney:** I wouldn’t make those. Way easier to just buy them. But they’ll be expensive.

 **Victoria:** You remember that I don’t care, right?

 **Courtney:** Just letting you know.

 **Courtney:** And I just Googled winter weddings. You’re right, they’re fucking gorgeous.

 **Victoria:** Max and I thought so. She saw a picture of a girl in a wedding dress with a white fur cloak, and fell in love with the idea. She’s been book marking them on Amazon for the past few days.

 **Courtney:** Ugh. Gross. Don’t buy wedding attire from Amazon.

 **Victoria:** Why not?

 **Courtney:** That’s the wedding fashion equivalent of shopping at Wal-Mart. If she really wants one, I’ll make her one.

 **Victoria:** You can?

 **Courtney:** It’s a fucking glorified cape. Helen Keller could make one.

* * *

**Max:** How do you guys feel about a snowy wedding ceremony?

 **Steph:** … cold.

 **Kate:** It sounds beautiful, though.

 **Max:** We’ve been researching it, for the Gregory Estate. Victoria and I really love the idea.

 **Kate:** How cold are we talking?

 **Max:** I’m not sure.

 **Steph:** Jesus, I just checked. The highs last year were in the twenties!

 **Kate:** Ooh. That is a little chilly.

 **Steph:** A little?! Max, I don’t know about this.

 **Max:** Courtney said she can get us all leather/fur coats to match with the dresses.

 **Steph:** … do we get to keep said coat?

 **Max:** I mean, we don’t want them back.

 **Steph:** Okay, keep talking.

 **Kate:** That includes Alice too, right? I’m not a big fan of my daughter getting hypothermia for the sake of aesthetics.

 **Max:** It does. And the venue said they have propane heaters. I’m sure we can get a few for the area where we’ll all be standing.

 **Max:** And Victoria and I will be freezing right with you guys.

 **Kate:** For how long of a ceremony?

 **Max:** We’ll make sure it’s short. Probably not more than thirty minutes.

 **Steph:** Okay, that’s doable.

 **Max:** Though we’ll be taking pictures outside, too.

 **Steph:** You’re losing me.

 **Kate:** Remember the leather coat you get to keep.

 **Steph:** … it better be a nice fuckin’ coat.

* * *

**Taylor:** The Wal-Mart of fashion?!?!

 **Courtney:** … Vic, you are such a narc.

 **Victoria:** Oops.

 **Taylor:** We sell lines from Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn!

 **Courtney:** I was talking about wedding apparel! Not everyday wear!

 **Taylor:** You are such a snob! We don’t even sell wedding dresses!

 **Courtney:** You might wanna fact-check that statement.

 **Taylor:** … shit. We do sell wedding dresses.

 **Victoria:** ROFL

 **Victoria:** Even I knew that! You guys sell everything else!

 **Taylor:** Shut up! We don’t make them!

 **Courtney:** Dude, this is a high-end wedding. We’re not dressing ourselves in cheap fabric; these will probably be the nicest dresses we’ll ever wear, our own weddings excluded.

 **Victoria:** From what you’re telling me about these dresses, I wouldn’t exclude anything.

 **Taylor:** <coat1.amzn>

 **Taylor:** <coat2.amzn>

 **Taylor:** <coat3.amzn>

 **Taylor:** There. Three amazing coat options that I found in two minutes of searching.

 **Victoria:** Wow. The third one looks really good.

 **Courtney:** It’s too dark. And the second one is too long.

 **Courtney:** The first one would be nice, if it didn’t have a hood. And I was thinking about fur-lined cuffs.

 **Taylor:** <coat4.amzn>

 **Courtney:** … Jesus, you guys really do sell everything.

 **Victoria:** Will that work?

 **Courtney:** I will allow Taylor a soft “maybe”.

 **Taylor:** That meets literally all of your requirements.

 **Courtney:** Until I finalize the designs for these dresses, you’re not getting the approval you so desperately crave. But I’ll keep them in mind.

 **Taylor:** … Wal-Mart of fashion, my ass.

* * *

**Max:** Victoria and I might be getting married in December.

 **Mom:** Oh, wow. That’s sooner than we thought.

 **Max:** Too soon?

 **Dad:** Of course not. We’re pretty committed to breaking whatever plans we have to, in order to be there.

 **Max:** Good.

 **Max:** Also, it might be at that Gregory Estate.

 **Mom:** The one by Mount Rainier? You guys liked it?

 **Max:** We loved it.

 **Mom:** Wonderful! I didn’t want to say anything that might bias you guys, but I really liked it too. I think it’s perfect.

 **Max:** I’m glad you approve.

 **Max:** Also, the wedding ceremony might be outside.

 **Dad:** … like, in the snow?

 **Max:** Maybe.

 **Dad:** Max, this seems like you already know for sure.

 **Max:** I might be feeling out what people think.

 **Dad:** It’s your day, sweetie. Do whatever you want.

 **Max:** You won’t mind?

 **Mom:** Of course not. It might not be the most comfortable in the world, but if it’s what you want, we don’t care.

 **Max:** It is.

 **Dad:** Should’ve figured.

 **Max:** Why?

 **Dad:** The cold never bothered you, anyway.

 **Max:** Huh?

 **Dad:** Do you wanna make a snowman? Or an ice castle?

 **Max:** Wait, are these Frozen jokes?

 **Mom:** Yes. Your father’s being dumb again.

 **Dad:** I think our daughter would look great in a blue dress. With white hair.

 **Max:** When did you even watch that movie?!

 **Mom:** A few years ago.

 **Dad:** We were bored, it was on TV, and we didn’t feel like changing the channel.

* * *

**Kate:** I have a question for you guys. Do either of you have little nieces or nephews?

 **Taylor:** … where did THAT come from?

 **Kate:** Research for my new book.

 **Steph:** Um, my brother and his wife had a boy last year. But I can’t imagine what that would have to do with a new book.

 **Kate:** It was a suggestion my publisher gave me. About kids with aunts or uncles who come out as LGBT and explaining what it all means.

 **Taylor:** Oh, that’s a neat idea.

 **Kate:** Well, I thought I’d ask if you guys had explained it to any younger children. I know Max and Victoria don’t have any siblings; I just didn’t remember if you guys did.

 **Steph:** My brother’s older than me, and I told my family a decade before my nephew was born. Sorry.

 **Taylor:** No nieces/nephews, but my little brother was nine when I told them I was bi.

 **Taylor:** I don’t think it’ll help you, though.

 **Kate:** Why not?

 **Taylor:** Because he couldn’t have given less of a shit.

 **Kate:** Really?

 **Taylor:** It actually bothered me, that he showed such little emotion, so I asked him how he felt later. He was like “Whatever, you like girls and boys. Now go away, I’m playing Pokémon.”

 **Steph:** ROFL

 **Kate:** … wow.

 **Taylor:** Yea. I mean, he accepted it easily enough, so I guess there’s that.

* * *

**Lindsey:** Are you free to help me this weekend?

 **Victoria:** What do you need?

 **Lindsey:** My roommate was going to drive me to the social worker’s office, so I can see Anna. But our manager offered her a double-shift, and she needs the money, so she took it.

 **Lindsey:** I’d rather not cab there and back if I don’t have to. Can you drive me?

 **Victoria:** Sure. When is it?

 **Lindsey:** Noon. And it’s for an hour.

 **Victoria:** Text me your address. I’ll be there.

* * *

**Dad:** So, I hear I’m gonna need an insulated tuxedo.

 **Victoria:** … Fiona told you?

 **Dad:** No, but she did tell our accountant to keep funds available and gave him the particulars. He told me.

 **Victoria:** Ah. We were gonna call you guys later, to see if it was okay.

 **Dad:** Why wouldn’t it be?

 **Victoria:** Because you’re inviting VVVIPs, and it’ll be twenty degrees outside.

 **Dad:** Sweetie, I’ve been to a wedding in Saudi Arabia. In the middle of July.

 **Victoria:** Little hot?

 **Dad:** Your mother and I were SOAKED with sweat when it was over. We had to shower and change clothes for the reception.

 **Dad:** I was at another wedding in Ireland that went on until the next day. They didn’t stop until the bar ran out of whiskey.

 **Victoria:** Wow. How much do you have to drink to run out a bar in Ireland?

 **Dad:** I would tell if you I remembered. Point is, people in our social circle are willing to put up with a lot from our children. You guys will be fine.

 **Dad:** And if they start to complain, I’ll remind them of the wedding in Korea where the groomsmen beat the groom with dead fish.

 **Victoria:** They what?!

 **Dad:** It’s apparently an odd tradition. They didn’t tell the groom beforehand, either.

 **Victoria:** How bad did it smell?

 **Dad:** As bad as you think, but worse.

* * *

**Fiona:** I got the confirmation email, and the deposit has been paid. You guys will be getting married on December 14th.

 **Victoria:** Awesome, a firm date!

 **Fiona:** Yep. But this means we’ve got about six months to get this done, so we’ll have to move fast.

 **Victoria:** What do we do next?

 **Fiona:** We need to finalize the guest list, then send out notifications for them to save the date. You mentioned you guys were looking for custom invitations, did you ever find someone?

 **Victoria:** No. It fell through.

 **Fiona:** That’s fine. I’ve got a someone who can do it for you. I’ll make sure they send you an email, to get your thoughts.

 **Victoria:** When is the guest list, like, FINAL final?

 **Fiona:** Whenever we decide that it is. Honestly, we’re only concerned about the people who have really busy schedules. Mostly your father’s friends and colleagues.

 **Fiona:** Do you have people you’d like to add?

 **Victoria:** Not right now. I was just curious.

 **Fiona:** Well, let me know if that changes.


	14. Sixty Days

**May 13 th, 2024**

“Just put this to your lips, and blow until it beeps.”

Lindsey complied as she took the plastic straw in her lips, blowing into it as hard as she could. After a few seconds, the breathalyzer in the social worker’s hands chimed. Victoria watched as a red ‘0.000’ appeared on the digital display.

“Perfect.” The older woman, who’d introduced herself as Jasmine, seemed pleased as she set it down on her desk. “And the drug test you did on Wednesday came back clean. I’m proud of you, Lindsey.”

“Thank you,” she said in a small voice.

“Now, Victoria.” Jasmine turned to her. The two blondes were seated on the other side of her desk as the met in her office, shortly before noon. “You’re Lindsey’s Narcotics Anonymous sponsor, right?”

Victoria nodded. “That’s right.”

“She’s been attending regularly?”

“Every week, twice a week,” Victoria confirmed. She looked at Lindsey and nudged her. “Show her your coin.”

She dug into her pocket and produced the yellow token Charlie had given her a couple of days prior, with an embossed number sixty on it.

Jasmine nodded. “I can’t tell you how glad we are to hear that,” she said to Lindsey. “I’ve seen a lot of parents who don’t have that kind of resilience. You’re doing very well.”

Lindsey nodded as she put her token back. “So… I can see Anna?” she asked hopefully.

“She’s in our playroom right now.” Jasmine stood upright. “Follow me.”

* * *

The reunion was about what Victoria expected. Lindsey practically raced them to the playroom to find Anna sitting on the floor, playing with a set of blocks under the watchful eye of a woman Victoria assumed was the foster mother. The girl’s face brightened as soon as she saw Lindsey enter the room.

“Mama!” The girl squealed. She was immediately scooped up as Lindsey hugged her, trying not to cry.

Victoria and Jasmine stayed back, taking seats in child-sized chairs near the entrance. After a few minutes, Lindsey finally stopped sniffling and started playing with Anna, the two of them stacking the blocks together as the child babbled.

“How long does she get to see her?” Victoria asked in a low voice.

“About an hour,” Jasmine replied in an equally quiet voice.

“She doesn’t have to wait another sixty days to see her again, right?”

Jasmine shook her head. “We just wanted to make sure she was committed to getting clean,” she assured Victoria. “Patricia is open to arranging visits when their schedules don’t conflict.”

Victoria sighed in relief. “Good. Not seeing her daughter has been killing her.”

“I can imagine.” Jasmine paused, looking at Victoria. “We’re not trying to keep them apart, you know.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I know we seem like the bad guys here. But we’re really not. We just want what’s best. For the both of them, not just Anna.”

“Oh.” Victoria nodded. “I, uh, never thought you were. And it did give Lindsey a good reason to quit popping pills.”

Jasmine smirked. “That was the idea.”

“So now what?” Victoria looked back at Lindsey and Anna. “What does she have to do to get custody back?”

“Well.” Jasmine inhaled slowly. “She needs to show that she’s capable of supporting the two of them, really. That’s the end goal.”

“How does she do that?”

“She needs to start by finding someplace that can accommodate the two of them. She’s currently staying on a friend’s couch, right?”

Victoria hesitated, not sure what to say.

Jasmine seemed to pick up on her reluctance. “You’re not tattling,” she assured her. “I’m not looking to take steps backwards. If anything, I want to help her move forward.”

“… yes. She’s staying with a friend from high school,” Victoria admitted. “But she’s trying to save for her own place.”

“Okay.” Jasmine nodded, looking back at Lindsey. “Before we leave, I’m going to give her instructions on how to apply for Section Eight vouchers.”

“What’s that?”

“Housing assistance, basically. The state will pay a portion of their rent for them.” Jasmine paused. “Though there’s a long waitlist. The states does lotteries, sometimes, but some people are on that list for years.”

Victoria’s heart sank. “… crap.”

“I know. It’s not nearly as funded as it should be.” Jasmine sighed. “Having a roommate is acceptable, but her and Anna need to have their own space. And she needs to be able to provide food and other necessities.”

“Kind of hard to do while working at Starbucks.”

“Agreed. A more lucrative line of work would be ideal. Does she have any family? I’ve asked her, but she didn’t want to talk about it.”

“She told me about them.” Victoria shook her head. “It… didn’t sound like she had any that were in a position to help.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Jasmine inhaled slowly. “Ok. Well, I can help her get started on SNAP benefits; those, at least, get approved quickly. And I can arrange for her to meet with a financial planner. But I’m afraid that she’ll have to do most of the work on her own.”

“It’s something.”

* * *

Jasmine re-explained everything to Lindsey, as the visit ended. And scheduled the meeting with a financial planner.

“I don’t know why I’m even going,” Lindsey mumbled as Victoria drove her home. “I barely have enough money to plan with.”

“I’m sure they can help you come up with a few ways to save up,” Victoria offered. “It can’t hurt.”

“… fine.”

“Did you and Patricia figure out another visit?”

“Next Thursday. She said she’d bring her by the park near the church, so we can play before the meeting.”

Victoria nodded as the car fell quiet again, Lindsey mostly staring out the window.

“Are you doing anything next Saturday?”

Lindsey blinked at the sudden question. “Um… I don’t think so. Why?”

“I got hired to shoot a wedding in Lincoln Park. And I need an assistant, to carry stuff and help with my lights. I usually hire them off of Craigslist, but since I’ll have to drive you, I know you’ll show up.” Victoria smirked. “And you probably won’t try to hit on the guests.”

“That’s happened?”

“A couple of times. Craigslist isn’t exactly a pool of the most-desirable contractors.” Victoria looked at her. “It’s a six-hour gig, and it pays a hundred and fifty bucks. Are you interested?”

“Yes.” Lindsey’s answer was immediate. “Totally. I’ll do whatever you need.”

“You’ll have to wear clothes without holes in them.” Victoria looked pointedly at her jeans, which had noticeable worn spots. “And a shirt with a collar.”

“I’ll find some.”

“Good.” She nodded. “See? Already on your way to saving more money.”

* * *

“That was nice of you.”

Victoria shrugged as she loaded a new package of photo paper into the printer. “Well, I was getting pretty tired of hiring idiots from Craigslist.”

“I bet.”

“So you don’t have a problem with this?” Victoria looked at Max, who was fiddling with her phone. “I mean, you were telling me last month, not to give her any money.”

“There’s a difference between giving her cash and helping her earn it.” Max quickly lifted the phone and smiled as she took a selfie. “Do you normally give your assistants that much?”

“Usually, yea. Plus I buy them lunch.”

“Then it doesn’t sound like a problem. Is the paper loaded yet?”

Victoria closed the tray. “Yep.”

Max tapped her phone a few more times, before the printer hummed to life. After a couple of minutes, it spat out the selfie Max had just taken onto a four-by-six photo.

“There it is.” Victoria handed it to Max, who sat down in her office chair. “So… now what?”

“Okay.” Max took a breath as she put the photo face-down on the desk. “It’s Saturday. So on Wednesday, I’m going to try and jump back through the picture to see if this works. If it does, when I look at this, it should be the me from Wednesday that shows up.”

Victoria scrunched her nose. “That sentence made my head hurt.”

“Sorry.” Max exhaled slowly. “Let’s do this.”

She picked the photo back up and took a look at it.

Nothing happened for a few seconds. Then, as Victoria watched, Max shuddered like she was cold. Her eyelids fluttered for a second before she blinked rapidly, picking her head back up and looking around.

“… Max?” Victoria asked. “Is it… you?”

“… god damn it.”

Her voice sounded hollow, like she was talking through a filter. Before Victoria could comment, Max dropped her head on the desk. “Fuck!” she hissed. “Son of a-”

“Max!” Victoria leaned forward. “Are you okay?!”

The brunette picked her head back up. “Do you have ANY idea how much instant camera film costs?!” she demanded. “It’s almost two dollars for every picture I took! And I took a lot when I was working at my old rehab center! When I first got there, I was buying two or three packs a month!”

Victoria looked at her with wide eyes. “… are you from the future?”

“Yes.” Max sighed heavily. “I’m from Wednesday.”

“Where’s… MY Max?”

“She should be back when I leave.” Max shook her head. “Crap. I wasted SO much money.”

Victoria tried to wrap her brain around what was happening. She couldn’t take her eyes off her fiancée. “Why does your voice sound funny?” she finally asked.

Max frowned. “It does?”

“Yea. Like you’re talking through a glass door or something.”

“I didn’t know that it did.” Max rubbed her face. “Great. I have another time-traveling tell.”

“You didn’t know that either?”

“I always made it a point to do this when I was alone. Although you’re sitting across the table from me right now, on Wednesday.” Max hummed. “I wonder what I look like to her.”

Victoria exhaled. “I guess I’ll let you know.”

“I guess so.”

“When do you… I don’t know, leave?”

“It usually only lasts a few minutes.” She smirked. “And no, I’m not giving you any lottery numbers or anything.”

“How’d you know I was about to ask?”

“Because you mentioned that I should find out what they were, before I did this.”

Victoria smirked back. “It’d be convenient.”

“Nevertheless.”

“You never let me have any…” Victoria paused, as a conniving thought struck her. “Tell me something that lets me mess with my Max.”

“Excuse me?” Max looked at her incredulously. “Why?”

“Because I want to have fun with this too.” Victoria planted both hands on the desk as she leaned towards Max. “You get to have all the fun. And I want to mess with my fiancée.”

“And why in the world would I help you mess with ME?”

“Because you’re a good fiancée who realizes how unfair the scales are tipped in your direction. Besides, you’re not gonna be there, what the hell do you care?”

Max looked conflicted, as she crossed her arms and studied Victoria. She took a breath after a few seconds. “… fine,” she allowed. “You can… okay. Know what would really mess with my head?”

“Tell me.”

“On Monday, I’m gonna lose one of my pens during lunch, but I won’t find it until Tuesday.” Max smirked. “You can send me a text around one or so, telling me that it’s between my trash can and my desk.”

Victoria grinned back. “Oh, this is gonna be fun.”

“Yea, yea. You’re lucky I…”

Max’s voice trailed off, and she shuddered again. The rapid blinking came back, and her eyes lost and regained focus. “… woah,” she breathed, her voice back to it’s normal tone.

Victoria cocked her head. “Are you… back?”

“… so it worked.” Max slumped in her chair. “Son of a… do you have any idea-”

“It costs two bucks every time you took a picture on your polaroid,” Victoria recited. “And you took a crapload when you first got to your old job. You were buying a couple of packs a month.”

“How did you-”

“You already did this rant.” Victoria paused. “I mean… YOU didn’t. It was the you… from… the… future?” she corrected uncertainly.

“Right.” Max rubbed her face. “… I could have saved SO much money.”

“So you said. At least you know now.”

“Small favors.” Max looked up. “Did I say anything else?”

“Nope.” Victoria shook her head. “Mostly complained about the money you could’ve saved. And told me that you weren’t gonna give me any lottery numbers.”

Max rolled her eyes. “Okay, ethics aside, I don’t know why you keep arguing about this. We don’t need the money, now that you’ve got your Amex back.”

“Yes, but that money would be FREE.”

“… whatever.”

* * *

 **Victoria:** It’s between your desk and your trash can.

 **Max:** Excuse me?

 **Victoria:** It’s between your desk and your trash can.

 **Max:** What is?

 **Max:** WHAT THE FUCK

 **Max:** HOW DID YOU DO THAT?! I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THAT PEN FOR HALF AN HOUR!!

 **Victoria:** Why the hell have you spent half an hour looking for a pen? Don’t you have more than one?

 **Max:** They’re all disposable! This one is my good pen! How the hell did you know where it was?!

 **Victoria:** I don’t know. I just got this… feeling, I guess.

 **Max:** What? What kind of feeling?

 **Victoria:** Something in the back of my mind just told me that I had to send you that text.

 **Max:** Are you serious?

 **Victoria:** Yea, it’s been happening all day. Like, I misplaced an envelope I was supposed to put in the mail, and something just told me that it was in the bottom drawer of my desk.

 **Victoria:** And then I was looking for my phone, but then I had a feeling that it was on the charging pad.

 **Max:** … I told you something on Saturday, didn’t I?

 **Victoria:** No idea what you’re talking about.

 **Max:** I hate you so much.

 **Victoria:** You LOOOOVE me.

 **Max:** <seen>

 **Victoria:** Oh don’t even.


	15. Dresses

**May 29 th, 2024**

“This seems too early.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes as she drove her car. “It’s not, trust me.”

“The wedding is still seven months out.”

“Yes, but the dresses are on sale NOW.”

Max sighed from the passenger seat. “I really wish you guys would just let us use the Amex.”

“Absolutely not. Your father and I have already told you that we’re keeping our contribution to your wedding.” Vanessa glanced at Max. “Are your friends going to be there?”

“Yes. And they want to Facetime in Courtney.”

“Who’s Courtney again?”

“Our friend in Portland,” Max reminded her. “The bridesmaid you haven’t met yet. She’s making all of the bridesmaid dresses, and she offered to whip up a cloak for me if I want one.”

“A cloak?”

Max pulled her phone from her pocket and went to her photo app, going into the album she’d designated for wedding ideas. “Like this,” she offered as she held up the phone.

Vanessa took a quick look at the photo. “Oh, that looks nice.”

“I know. I’m kind of in love with it.”

“Though it makes you look like a character from one of your father’s Dungeons and Dragons books.”

“Gee, thanks.” Max frowned. “Does he still have those?”

“Oh, yes. He dug them back out last year.” Vanessa smirked. “He’s been going to a group twice a month.”

It was Max’s turn to roll her eyes. “Why is Dad such a dork?”

“Oh, it’s his hobby. Let him have fun with it.” Vanessa took a turn. “You and Victoria don’t have any preference on what your father and I wear, do you?”

“Not really. Why?”

“Just checking. We’ve been trying to figure out our wardrobes, too.”

Max shrugged. “Well, Victoria said that our Senator confirmed that he would be there. So maybe something a little snazzy would be nice.”

“Oh, great.” Vanessa sighed. “I’m not telling your father that.”

“Why? He doesn’t like him?”

“It’s not that. Whenever he meets someone who works for the government, he asks when they’ll fix the potholes near his office building.”

Max snorted. “I think that’s a little below our Senator’s pay grade.”

“Tell it to your father. Let me know how that argument goes.”

* * *

“Man, Court, you look like crap.”

On her iPad screen, Courtney blew her nose into a tissue before responding. “Fuck you too,” she greeted Taylor, in a nasal voice. “And your online Wal-Mart.”

Taylor smirked as she sat on the bench seat, while Max, Kate, and Steph looked over her shoulder. “Are you okay?” Kate asked. “You don’t look good.”

“That’s funny, I don’t feel good.” Courtney hugged a blanket around herself as she sniffled. “I’ve got the flu.”

“Jeez. You’re not at work, are you?”

“No. My boss is a huge germophobe.” Courtney rolled her eyes. “He told me if I came in, he’d fire my ass.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to just lay down and take a nap?” Max asked, concern in her voice.

“Fuck no. I’m worried that you’ll pick a dress made out of burlap or something.”

“Everyone is here to help make sure I don’t.”

“So am I.” Courtney sniffled again. “And I’m tired of missing bridesmaid crap like this. Now show me what you’ve got.”

“You heard her.” Steph nudged Max out of the way. “Go with your mom and put on that first dress.”

Max sighed. “Fine.”

The other three girls watched her leave, sliding through the curtains and into the changing room, before they all turned back to the iPad. “We have questions about the coats,” Taylor stated.

“Oh, Jesus.” Courtney slumped in her seat. “I’ve told you guys already, I’m not picking anything until I-”

“Yea, yea. Whatever.” Steph leaned over Taylor’s shoulder. “We for sure get to keep them, right? You don’t need them back when the wedding’s over?”

Courtney looked confused. “Why the fuck would I want them back?”

“I don’t know, to return them for a refund?”

“It’s not MY money,” she reminded them. “It’s Victoria’s. And I don’t think she’ll want them back either, since they’ll all be in your sizes.”

“So they’re ours?” Kate asked. “To keep?”

“Yes. Everything I’m giving you guys is yours to keep.” Courtney sniffled, then cocked her head. “Why?”

The others looked at Steph as she pulled up a website on her phone. “What do you think of this one?”

Courtney leaned into the screen as Steph held up a listing for a brown coat, with lighter brown fur at the cuffs and the collar. “Hm. That does look pretty good,” she allowed.

“Thanks.”

“I notice that it’s not from Amazon.”

Taylor rolled her eyes. “Eat me.”

“You think it’d look good with the dresses?” Steph pressed.

“Maybe. I mean, it does match with what I had in…” Courtney blinked. “Wait. Is that a sheepskin jacket? With real fur?”

“Yea.”

“How much does it cost?”

Steph glanced at the others, before scrolling down on her phone.

“… damn.”

“But it looks so cute!” Taylor said quickly. “And you just said it would match!”

“Oh, I see what’s going on here.” Courtney smirked, as she leaned back and folded her arms. “We’re taking advantage of the fact that Victoria’s putting everything on her little black Amex. And that she doesn’t give a shit how much our outfits cost.”

“She did say that we’re supposed to dress to impress,” Kate offered.

“Wait a minute, YOU’RE in on this?” Courtney asked, eyebrows raised. “Seriously?”

Kate squirmed uncomfortably. “… it is a really cute jacket.”

“Listen, if you find another one just as nice for cheaper, I don’t think we’re gonna care,” Taylor interjected. “This was one that Steph found, that we all like.”

“Well, for that price, you’d fuckin’ better.” Courtney took a slow breath. “… it does compliment the dresses. And I was imagining something almost exactly like that.”

“Is that a yes?” Steph asked hopefully.

“Fuck it. Sure. Send me the link.” Courtney pulled a hand from beneath her blanket and held up a finger. “But if Victoria or Max asks how much they cost, or who gave me the idea, I’m not lying for you three.”

Taylor smirked. “We can live with that.”

“When are you going to start making the dresses?” Kate asked.

“Well, the material won’t be here for another three months, so at least that long.”

“Three months?!” Steph exclaimed. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. And I need to come up to Seattle and get everyone’s measurements.” Courtney paused to blow her nose again, discarding the tissue. “By the way, once I write them down, none of you are allowed to get fat.”

Taylor scoffed. “Excuse you.”

“I am one hundred-percent serious.” Courtney looked through the screen intently. “I’m not ordering any material that I don’t need. I’m gonna give us all a little wiggle room, but if your waistlines get any more than an inch or so bigger? You better come down with an acute case of bulimia.”

Kate shook her head. “Courtney, we’re not…”

The curtains slid back, and they all looked up as Max in the first wedding dress, an off-white garment that hugged her closely and made her look stunning. “… damn,” Steph breathed.

“What do you guys think?” Max asked nervously.

“Oh my God, Max, you look so gorgeous!” Kate exclaimed. “That is-”

“HEY!!” Courtney’s yell from the iPad startled all of them. “Turn me the fuck around so I can see!”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Taylor spun the tablet so Courtney could take in Max’s dress.

* * *

Over the course of the next hour or so, Max tried on no less than seven different dresses. To varying compliments and objections from the other bridesmaids.

“It had an empress waistline,” Courtney was saying flatly. “That answer is no.”

“But it looked so good on her!” Steph objected.

“Yea, and she looked like she was expecting. Tell her to leave it on the rack for the girls from Sixteen and Pregnant.”

“I don’t think she liked it anyway,” Kate agreed. “I’m with Vanessa, she should get the one with sleeves. Especially if this is an outdoor wedding in the winter.”

“Dude, those sleeves were pretty much useless for warmth,” Taylor countered. “They were almost completely made of lace.”

“It’s still something.”

“The sleeves are optional,” Courtney interjected. “I can make a cloak that’ll keep her warm, if she really wants to go that route. And she can do some longer gloves, so her hands and arms don’t freeze. But sleeves aren’t a deal-breaker.”

“And the dress length?”

“It’ll have to be to the floor. So that third one is out, too.”

“Why does it have to be floor-length?” Kate asked.

“Because it’s gonna be in the twenties, so her and Victoria are probably going to be wearing the thickest hose they can find. Speaking of which, you guys might want to grab some, too.”

“… crap.” Taylor looked at the others. “I didn’t even think about that.”

“Doesn’t seem like there’s pantyhose think enough,” Kate mentioned. “Are our dresses going to be floor-length, too?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m probably just gonna wear a pair of thermal underwear.”

“Ooh. I like that idea much better,” Steph agreed. “And we can take them off when it’s time for the reception.”

“We were gonna have to make some adjustments between the ceremony and the reception anyway,” Courtney informed her. “We’re certainly not dancing in boots and a jacket.”

Everyone’s attention immediately reverted to the iPad, the three girls falling silent. “… boots?” Steph finally asked.

“Yea. Boots.” Courtney frowned. “What?”

Kate leaned in. “We’re getting boots, too?”

“Of course we are.” Courtney sounded miffed. “We’re sure as shit not wearing flats or heels in the snow. I’m including boots and gloves with the outfits.”

Taylor pulled the iPad closer. “Tell us more about these boots.”

“Oh, no.” Courtney pointed a finger at the camera. “I’m not doing this with the boots. Or the gloves. You three will take what I get you and like it.”

They were still snickering then the curtains slid back. Taylor spun the iPad around as they all looked up, expecting to see Max in a new wedding dress. Vanessa was standing there instead, a concerned look on her face. “Um… Steph, Max wants you.”

Steph blinked. “Huh?”

“Max asked me to come get you. And wait out here.”

“… why?”

“She wouldn’t say.” Vanessa shook her head. “She took a phone call while she was in the dressing room, and she got really quiet.”

“Is she okay?” Kate asked.

“I’m not sure. She seemed… I don’t know. She wouldn’t tell me what was going on.”

“… all right.” Steph glanced at the others before she stood, stepping past Vanessa and slipping through the curtains.

There were actually two rooms past the curtains; the dressing room, which was closed off, and a smaller area with a plush couch. A long rack stood against the opposite wall, loaded with white dresses.

Max was sitting on the couch in a new dress, one they hadn’t seen yet. The off-shoulder dress looked amazing, but Steph was too focused on her friend’s dejected expression. She rested her forehead in one hand while she listened to a phone with another. As soon as she saw Steph, she nodded for the seat beside her.

Steph sat down quickly, trying to figure out what was going on as Max continued to listen silently.

“… crap,” the brunette finally breathed. “Warren, I am so sorry.”

_Warren? Who’s- wait. Isn’t that Brooke’s husband?_

Max took the phone from her ear and put it on speaker, just in time for Steph to hear a long sigh. “ _Thanks, Max._ ”

“Where’s Brooke now?”

“ _She’s, uh, back at our apartment. I think._ ”

“You think?”

“ _They made her leave in the middle of the day. I still had a shift to finish. And… I haven’t gone home yet._ ”

Max and Steph exchanged glances. “Where are you?”

“ _At a bar._ ”

Steph winced as Max shook her head. “Warren…”

“ _Max, this has literally been the longest day of my life. So if we could not? That would be great._ ”

“… okay.”

“ _Look, when they were done with her, I asked to meet with a few of the board members. I think I was able to mitigate some of the damage._ ” He paused. “ _But I told them that my friend was in charge of the best rehab center on the west coast. And that she’d take her on as a patient._ ”

Steph couldn’t help but smirk as Max raised an eyebrow. “I’m not in charge. And we’ve been open for three months.”

“ _Yea, I know. And I know that I should’ve asked you first, too, but I was desperate._ ” Warren sighed again. “ _Please tell me that you’ll take Brooke back._ ”

Max licked her lips before she answered. “I need to put you on hold, Warren. I have to make sure we have the room to take her on, first.”

“ _Okay._ ”

She tapped the screen to mute the call. “What are you doing?” Steph asked. “You know we have room, we’re only at twenty people or so.”

“I know. I’m stalling.” Max looked at her. “Are you okay with this? I know she was difficult, with you and the other patients.”

Steph scoffed. “Fuck yes, she was. That girl is the most arrogant, egotistical person I’ve ever met in my life. Including your fiancée, back when she was at Blackwell.” She paused. “But… she’s still an addict. Even if she won’t admit it."

“Yes. She is.” Max nodded. “I’m gonna tell him we’ll take her back. But I’m definitely billing for this one.”

“We weren’t before?”

“No. She was an old friend, and a doctor besides, so we didn’t want to report that she needed help. Also, Tina and I agreed that helping a doctor get clean would be beneficial to our reputation.”

Steph looked at her incredulously. “You mean I was putting up with all her shit and we weren’t even getting paid for it!?”

Max rolled her eyes. “I made sure it came out of my share,” she assured her. “Besides, we’re definitely billing now.”

“Goddamn right we are.” Steph paused. “By the way, what exactly happened? Something at her hospital?”

“I’m… not sure.”

“Excuse me?”

“He didn’t give me a lot of details. Just that Brooke had definitely not kicked the Ritalin habit, there was an incident at work, and now most of the hospital supervision knows about her problem.” Max looked back at the phones. “It sounded pretty bad.”

Steph hummed. “You should ask him.”

“I know.” Max tapped the screen, un-muting the call. “Warren?”

“ _Max?_ ”

“I just checked. We can take Brooke back on as a patient.” Max paused. “But… look, I can’t give you any details of her prior treatment. But she was not as cooperative as we would’ve liked.”

Warren scoffed. “ _Yea, I figured that out on my own. I’m guessing we’re gonna get a bill this time?_ ”

“I’m afraid so. But your insurance will cover most of-”

“ _I don’t care._ ”

Max paused. “… all right,” she allowed. “Warren, you are okay, aren’t you?”

“ _More or less._ ”

“Right.” She took a breath. “Warren, I know you said she failed a drug test. And that she’s under investigation. Can you tell me what happened, exactly?”

There was several seconds of silence, before he scoffed. “ _Know what? Ask my fuckin’ wife. Maybe by the time she gets there, she’ll stop saying that it’s not a problem._ ”

Max was taken aback. “Warren, are you-”

“ _I’m sorry, Max. I just… I can’t deal with any more of this right now. Can I please let you go?_ ”

Her and Steph exchanged worried glances. “Sure,” she agreed. “When will you guys get here?”

“ _I’m not coming. She’s getting on a plane to Sea-Tac day after tomorrow._ ”

“Send me her flight info, then. I’ll make sure someone meets her when she gets off the plane.”

“ _I will_ _._ ” There was a rustling from the other end of the line, and a low voice asked a question. “ _Yea, I’ll have another one. I’ll send you an email in a few minutes, Max. And… thanks. A lot._ ”

“No problem. Be safe, Warren.”

“ _Sure thing._ ”

Max ended the call. “That was concerning,” Steph commented. “He doesn’t sound good.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Max agreed. “I’m gonna hope that it was because he wasn’t sober.”

“Let’s do that.” Steph sighed. “Way to bring down the mood, too. I was having fun.”

Max inhaled slowly. “She’s not going to get here for a couple of days,” she stated. “I’m not gonna think about it until then. I’m gonna keep trying on dresses, and listen to Courtney and Taylor bicker over which ones I look terrible in.”

Steph smirked. “Courtney was pretty firm that you throw that last dress in the dumpster,” she allowed. “I’m not sure what exactly an Empress waistline is, but it apparently made you look pregnant.”

“What about this one?” Max looked down at her current dress. “My mom thought it was nice. And I kind-of agree.”

“Well, come on, then.” Steph stood back upright. “Let’s see what faults her royal highness finds.”

* * *

**Victoria:** Are you guys still out?

 **Max:** Yes. We’re just finishing up dinner.

 **Victoria:** Okay. Then I’m just gonna grab Taco Bell on my way home.

 **Victoria:** Did you pick a dress?

 **Max:** Maybe :)

 **Victoria:** Oh, come on. You don’t have to show me, I just want to know if you found one.

 **Max:** I might’ve.

 **Victoria:** Why are you being cagey about this?

 **Max:** You’re not allowed to know anything about my dress, remember?

 **Victoria:** So you DID pick one.

 **Max:** I’m not telling.

 **Max:** But I am definitely ahead of you.

 **Victoria:** It’s not a race to the alter, babe.

 **Max:** Not a close one, anyway.


	16. Round Two

**May 31 st, 2024**

“You look anxious.”

Max glanced at Jerry, as she stood in their center’s reception area. “Maybe a little,” she conceded, leaning an elbow on the front desk. “You heard how this went last time.”

“I did.” He nodded. “I think you’ll do better, though.”

“Really?”

“Well, you said last time that her husband basically dragged her here. Now she’s coming on her own.”

“Not really. She’s still being forced into this.”

“Yea, but now if she doesn’t complete treatment, her job is on the line,” Jerry reminded her. “I think that’s a powerful incentive, especially for someone who’s worked as hard as she has. Also, regardless of the circumstances, she did come by herself.”

“That’s because her husband’s too pissed to come up with her.”

Jerry frowned. “He said that?”

“I inferred.” Max glanced back out the front doors, looking through the rain for the assistant she’d sent to pick up Brooke at the airport. “He had some pretty strong words, when we spoke.”

“Well, given the circumstances…”

“I know. Hardly uncalled for.” Max tucked a stray hair back into place. “How’s Amy, by the way? I just realized that I haven’t seen her for a couple of days.”

“Oh, her mom picked her up,” he mentioned. “She signed out yesterday.”

“Really? She seemed pretty pissed when they had that first meeting.”

“Well, the second one went a lot better. Amy apologized for pawning her mom’s engagement ring, and promised to pay her back. I think hearing that she was finally taking responsibility made her mother happy.”

Max smirked. “Told her so.”

“You and me both. Also, you remember that Todd’s brother is coming tomorrow, right?”

“Oh. Great.” She sighed. “Can we pawn that one off on Tina? I really don’t want to separate them again.”

“She won’t be back from that conference until next week.” Jerry smirked. “Also, I’m running a group session when he gets here.”

Max narrowed her eyes. “How convenient.”

“Just grab Maya. She’ll sort them out if they get physical.”

From her seat at the computer beside them, the blond CNA picked her head up. “I’ll do what now?”

“Save Max from a pair of brothers that want to kill each other,” Jerry mentioned. “Although ideally we’ll get Todd to be less combative this time.”

Maya rolled her eyes. “Okay, now I want to talk about my hourly pay.”

“Schedule a…” Jerry’s voice trailed off. “I think that’s them.”

Max turned to see the silver sedan pull into the lot, parking near the entrance. One of their assistants opened her door first, extending an umbrella before she slid out of the driver’s seat.

On the other side of the car, the back door was practically kicked open. Brooke didn’t even bother flipping up the hood of her jacket as she climbed out, dragging a duffle bag behind her. Max winced as she slammed the car door, glaring at the building.

“She seems happy to be here,” Jerry remarked dryly.

“She really does.” Max sighed. “You should probably go. I don’t want her to feel ambushed.”

“If you say so.” He nodded. “Let me know if you want any help.”

“I will.” Max watched him walk away as the assistant outside beckoned towards Brooke, and the dark-haired girl trudged towards the entrance. “You ready, Maya?”

The CNA locked the computer before standing. “Yep.”

The assistant led the way up the stairs, opening the door. Brooke stepped inside, wiping the rain from her face as she stopped in front of Max.

“Hello, Brooke,” Max said neutrally. “How was your-”

“It was fine,” Brooke bit out. “Am I in the same room as last time? Because I’m tired.”

_Well, aren’t we pleasant?_ Max took a short breath. “No. And we’ll get to that. But first, we need to sit down and talk.” She nodded towards Maya, she stepped out from around her desk. “Why don’t you give her your bag.”

Brooke lifted her duffle bag and practically shoved it towards Maya. The CNA caught it with one hand, a look of unconcern on her face.

Max chose to ignore the hostility as she motioned towards the stairs. “Come on. This way.”

* * *

“I was really disappointed at your decision to leave early, last time you were here.”

Brooke scoffed as she sat in the chair across from Max’s desk, her arms folded around her chest. “Well, I was disappointed in your little dump of a rehab center, so the feeling was mutual.”

Max sighed. “Brooke, please stop acting like I’m your enemy. All I want to do is help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“There are more than a few people who disagree.”

“Well, fuck them too,” Brooke snapped. “I’m fine.”

Max slid a folder across her desk and opened it. “Not according to your drug test,” she informed her. “These levels of methylphenidate indicate that you’re popping multiple pills a day. I’m guessing that it’s gotten harder and harder for you to feel the-”

“Wait, what the fuck?!” Brooke exclaimed, her eyes zeroing in on the paper. “Are you- how did you get that?!”

“Your hospital sent it to us.” Max glanced up. “Can I continue?”

“That’s a HIPAA violation!”

“We’re a licensed medical facility. You’re currently our patient. And we’re past the point of keeping your treatment a secret, so we sent them an official request for your medical records.” Max tapped the paper. “Besides, we actually did you a favor by asking for this.”

“How?!”

“We confirmed that your addiction is currently being treated.”

Brooke’s face turned a deep shade of red. “I am NOT addicted,” she growled.

“Yes, you are.” Max folded her hands in front of her. “As I was saying, people get accustomed to the effects of Ritalin, and their body dulls to the medication, which leads to them taking higher and higher doses to get that feeling back. With these levels and at your body weight, you’re probably ingesting, what, sixty to eighty milligrams on a daily basis?”

She didn’t answer.

“That’s a huge dosage,” Max commented. “Three or four pills a day, at least. Will you tell me where you’re getting them?”

“Why?”

“Because I want to know. Or you can stonewall, like you did to your boss, though I can’t put you on administrative leave.”

Brooke flinched. “How’d you-”

“When we got your records, I had to speak to an HR rep,” Max answered. “He told me your current status. And that he wouldn’t disclose why, because you’re currently under investigation.”

The girl across from her clenched her hands, falling silent.

“Okay, let’s try another question.” Max leaned forward. “Why don’t you tell me what led to you being forced to take a drug test?”

“… Warren didn’t tell you?”

“No. Only that there was an incident. And that after you failed the drug test, you and Warren were both interviewed by senior hospital staff, and you were escorted out by your department head. Warren basically groveled to keep them from firing you on the spot. So, what happened?”

Brooke finally dropped her gaze. She didn’t respond.

“When was the last time you popped a pill?”

She didn’t answer that, either.

Max sighed, then pushed back from her desk to stand. She walked around to sit on the other chair beside Brooke.

“I am not your enemy,” she repeated gently. “I can help you get over this habit, before it affects your life any more than it already has. I WANT to help you. But this isn’t something I can do for you. I need you to work with me.”

Brooke licked her lips, and Max finally felt like she was going to get some answers.

“I didn’t sleep last night. Or on the plane.” Brooke looked sideways at her. “I want to go to my room now.”

_… least she didn’t curse at me._

Max nodded slowly. “Fatigue and sleep loss are symptoms of Ritalin withdrawal,” she explained.

“I know. I’m a fucking doctor, remember?”

_Knew it was too good to last._

“Fine. I’ll let you to try and get some rest.” Max stood back up. “We’re putting you in room six. Maya’s probably already dropped off your bag.”

* * *

A few hours later, Max was standing on the walkway outside her office. She leaned her elbows on the railing as she looked down into the second floor below.

Room six was visible from where she was standing. But the door was firmly closed. She’d been keeping an eye out, but it hadn’t opened since Brooke had gone inside.

“She might be asleep by now.”

Max didn’t look as Steph leaned on the railing beside her. “… you think so?”

“Maybe.” Steph shrugged. “I did get a little bit of rest, when I was detoxing from Adderall. It wasn’t GREAT sleep, but still.”

“How long did it last?”

“A week or so, before I got anything resembling decent sleep. The depression was way worse.” Steph nodded towards the door. “She won’t be pleasant to be around when that kicks in.”

Max snorted. “You make it seem like she’s pleasant to be around now.”

“Yea, that was a mistake."

They both softly chuckled, Max finally shaking her head. “I feel really bad,” she admitted. “Like we could’ve done better. Then maybe she wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“Oh, please. You know that’s not true.” Steph glanced at her. “We both know addicts don’t get better unless they want to. I can’t believe that I would even have to explain that to you, of all people.”

“Still.” Max picked at her fingers. “She was nice to me, back at Blackwell.”

Steph blinked. “She was at Blackwell too?”

“In the same grade as me and Victoria. Her and Warren both.” Max glanced at her. “I guess you never met either of them?”

“Not that I can recall.” Steph shrugged. “But I mostly hung out with people in my own year. What was she like?”

“Well. She was definitely a little intense.” Max smirked, as she looked back at the door. “Even back then, you could tell that she had a serious thing for Warren. She was actually a little cold towards me when we first met, because Warren had a crush on me.”

Steph raised an eyebrow. “He didn’t know you bat for the other team?”

“I didn’t tell anyone, back then. I didn’t even come out to my parents until after I graduated.” Max sighed. “But… after Chloe died, she was one of the girls who tried to pull me out of my funk. Her and a few others kept checking up on me, making sure that I ate. And when I was admitted to the hospital afterwards, she came to visit.”

“Mm.” Steph nodded. “Sounds like a good friend.”

“She was,” Max agreed. “Even when her and Warren left for Stanford, we Skyped a lot. Tried to keep up with one another. But, you know… you lose touch with people as life goes on.”

Steph tilted her head. “So… before she showed up, when was the last time you spoke to her?”

“In a text, a few weeks after Victoria got to my old rehab center. She was one of the people Victoria sent a letter to, when she was apologizing for her behavior back at Blackwell.”

“Ah. How’d she take it?”

“With about the same level of grace she’s displaying now.” Max shook her head. “I chewed her out in a text. We hadn’t spoken since.”

Steph hummed in disapproval.

“Yea, I know.” Max sighed. “I should’ve let it go.”

“Sounds like you might’ve been a little too attached to Victoria’s recovery.” A small smirk broke out over Steph’s face. “Although I guess that’s more than a little obvious at this point.”

“Oh, shut up.” Max slowly stood upright. “Are you staying overnight?”

“It’s my week for it. You taking off?”

“Yep. Will you let me know if anything comes up?”

“Of course.”

* * *

**June 1 st, 2024**

Max made sure she got to the rehab center early the next morning.

The contractors they had for their cafeteria were already there and cooking breakfast, though not everyone was awake. Max entered their dining area, noting that only a few of their patients were there.

But Brooke was one of them. The dark-haired girl was sitting by herself, slowly sipping a cup of coffee.

Max kept a kind smile on her face as she made her way over, sitting across the table. “Good morning,” she greeted her.

Brooke grunted. “If you say so.”

“How did you sleep?”

“Wonderful.” Brooke took another sip. “Can’t you tell?”

_She’s snarky this morning._

“Well, when you finish, I’d like to try and resume our conversation from yesterday,” Max continued. “Maybe-”

“Know what sounds way better than that?” Brooke interrupted.

“What?”

“Literally anything else.” She glanced back at the breakfast line. “I’m going to see if they have anything edible. And maybe some cream and sugar, to try and improve this sludge they think is coffee.”

“Brooke, I really want to-”

“Whatever.” Brooke got up, leaving her mug as she made her way back towards the food. Max sat back, mulling over their conversation. Or lack thereof.

_… probably still grumpy. I bet she didn’t sleep well last night, either._

_So why can’t I shake this nagging feeling that I’m missing something?_

Max stood and walked towards the elevator, to drop her coat off in her office. Maya rounded the corner just as Max hit the call button. The CNA was wearing a hoodie over workout clothes while sipping a protein shake, a gym bag slung over her shoulder. “Morning,” she greeted casually.

“Morning.” Max glanced back towards the cafeteria, before looking at Maya. “Hey, you checked Brooke’s bag yesterday, right?”

“Yea. Why?”

“You sure there weren’t any drugs in it?”

“Positive. I dumped everything out, checked the lining for loose seams, and felt up all of her clothes. The only contraband I found was pocket lint.” Maya cocked her head. “You think she smuggled something in?”

Max bit her lip. “You didn’t search her.”

“She flew in, right?” Maya watched Max nod. “Then there’s no point. Her bag and shoes were x-rayed, and she would’ve gone through a millimeter-wave scan at the airport. If she was hiding drugs, the TSA would’ve found them."

“… maybe.”

Maya wrinkled her nose. “Yea, I’m not going that far.”

“I know, I wouldn’t ask you to.” Max sighed as the elevator door opened. “I’m sorry, I’m being paranoid. She just seemed a little off during breakfast.”

“It’s early, and she probably didn’t sleep worth a crap,” Maya pointed out as they entered the car. She hit the second-floor button, while Max hit the third. “I’d be surprised if she wasn’t a little off.”

“Fair enough.” Max frowned as the door closed. “Wait, where are you going? Your locker’s on the first floor.”

“Yea, but I just came from the gym, and there are empty rooms with showers on the second.”

“You couldn’t shower at your gym?”

“They had a pipe burst. The women’s locker room was closed.” Maya shrugged. “You want me to work all day while smelling like sweat?”

Max shook her head. “No, of course not.”

“Are we not allowed to use the showers of unoccupied rooms?”

“I guess I can’t think of a reason why you couldn’t.”

“Good.” Maya smirked as the elevator stopped. “Because if you’d said no, we were definitely gonna discuss my hourly pay.”

* * *

**Courtney:** I just sent you an email. It needs your immediate attention.

**Victoria:** Why? What is it?

**Courtney:** A bill for the dress material. I just put it on our purchasing account.

**Courtney:** And it’s the most expensive non-bulk order I’ve ever placed, so if you could pay it promptly? That would be great.

**Victoria:** Are you in trouble for this?

**Courtney:** No, nothing like that. My boss is just a really bad penny-pincher. I’d like to let him know that the invoice was paid sooner rather than later.

**Victoria:** … Jesus, you weren’t kidding about the price.

**Courtney:** Told you it wasn’t gonna be cheap.

**Victoria:** Okay, I’ll forward it to my dad’s accountant. How long before the material is ready?

**Courtney:** Well, we paid for expedited processing, so no less than four months. Maybe earlier if we’re lucky.

**Victoria:** September? Is that enough time for you to make the dresses?

**Courtney:** Yes. We’ll be fine.

**Courtney:** And I think we’re gonna go with these coats. What do you think?

**Courtney:** <coat.url>

**Victoria:** Those look nice.

**Victoria:** Ooh, they’re sheepskin, too. I kinda want one.

**Courtney:** Hey, it’s your Amex.

* * *

**Jerry:** Jack might be about to kill your friend.

**Max:** … now what?

**Jerry:** We were having a group session, and he mentioned that his sister’s one of those anti-vaxxers. And fine, the educated among us can agree that she’s an idiot, but we’re trying to ignore that and focus on the matter at hand.

**Jerry:** Brooke, however, made a snide comment about his parents being siblings to produce someone that stupid.

**Max:** Great.

**Jerry:** It really wasn’t. Jack didn’t take kindly to someone he didn’t know insulting his family.

**Jerry:** Might want to talk to her about engaging that brain-mouth barrier.

**Max:** Yea, I will.


	17. Five Years

**June 6 th, 2024**

“Some milestones are too impressive for this group to just ignore. Especially when the person who achieved it worked so hard to get there.”

Victoria sighed, slouching in her chair as she listened to Charlie speak. “I REALLY don’t want to do this,” she muttered.

“Oh, come on.” Max elbowed her. “I don’t want to hear it.”

“Can we just go? Please?”

“Absolutely not. Sit up straight.”

Victoria complied as she listened to Charlie talk. “I only wish we’d been able to do this when it was time,” he continued sheepishly. “But it’s been too long since we acknowledged such a milestone, so I didn’t realize we were out of five-year coins. And Amazon only moves packages so fast.”

She smirked as the group chuckled. “We should complain to Taylor.”

Max rolled her eyes. “Yea, I’m sure it’s all her fault.”

“But enough about that. We need to be proud of the person who actually put in the hard work, not the old guy who loves to hear himself talk.” Charlie looked towards them and smirked. “Come on, Victoria. Time to give another speech.”

“I don’t want to!” Victoria yelled out.

The entire group laughed as Max elbowed her again. Victoria finally stood as she made her way towards the front, accepting the bronze chip with the number five stamped into the metal. “Congratulations,” Charlie said as he shook her hand.

“Thanks, man.” Victoria admired the token; despite her objections to standing in front of everyone, she was proud of herself for hitting the milestone.

Charlie moved out of the way, and Victoria took his spot at the podium. Looking over the group, she saw Max smiling as she clapped with the others, including Steph, who was sitting behind her.

There was a noticeable absence from the crowd, though. Victoria scanned through it quickly, not seeing a head of blonde hair under it’s own beanie.

_Where’s Lindsey?_

* * *

“It was a good speech. I really don’t see why you hate them so much.”

Victoria shrugged. “I guess I don’t like standing in front of everyone and bragging.”

“You’re not bragging,” Steph assured her. “And it’s not just for you. Seeing someone else hit the five-year mark helps motivate everyone here, and gives them hope that they’ll make it, too.”

“I know that. Can I still not like making speeches?”

“… I suppose,” Steph allowed. “Who do you keep looking for, by the way?”

Victoria caught herself as she started to scan the crowd again. “It’s, uh, Lindsey,” she answered. “I haven’t seen her yet. She’s never missed a meeting before, and I’m starting to get worried.”

“Ah.” Steph smirked. “Well, I wouldn’t be.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s a few feet behind you, waiting for us to finish talking.”

Victoria spun her head to see Lindsey standing awkwardly, rubbing an elbow with her other hand. “Hey,” she greeted softly.

“There you are.” Victoria tried not to let the relief show on her face. “I was wondering if you were coming.”

“Sorry.” Lindsey scratched her arm. “Something came up.”

“Everything alright?”

“… yea.” She bit her lip. “Are, uh, you doing any more wedding jobs I can help with?”

Victoria tilted her head quizzically. “Not for another two weeks.”

“You don’t have anything before then?”

“Lindsey, what’s wrong?”

She averted her eyes. “Nothing.”

“It doesn’t sound like nothing. It sounds like something’s wrong.”

“It’s… not. Anymore.” Lindsey’s shoulder’s drooped. “Sorry. I, uh… just trying to find more work.”

“Is that why you’re late?”

“… my manager gave me a few hours of overtime.”

Victoria nodded. “Come on,” she encouraged, as she nudged her towards the door. “Let’s get away from everyone, and grab some air.”

* * *

“Zach got sick.”

Victoria glanced sideways at Lindsey. The two of them were on the bench where they’d first met, enjoying the breeze that drifted through the city. “… who’s Zach?”

“My roommate’s son.” Lindsey scratched the back of her neck. “He came down with a fever a couple of days ago, and we took him to the Urgent Care. The doctor said he had an ear infection.”

“Oh, no. Is he okay?”

“He is now. But she doesn’t have insurance, so she had to pay for the visit out of her own pocket, plus the medicine they prescribed. And… she didn’t have enough cash.”

“Ah.” Victoria nodded, understanding. “You gave her the money you were saving.”

“… she wouldn’t have been able to get the medication if I hadn’t.”

“How much is left?”

Lindsey let out a heavy sigh. “Less than fifty bucks.”

 _Oof._ Victoria winced internally. She didn’t know how much Lindsey had saved up, but she knew it was at least a few hundred. “That was nice of you. And I’m sure she appreciated it.”

“She did. She was really grateful.” Lindsey glanced at her. “I’m sorry I made you worry. I’m not desperate, or about to get evicted, or anything. I just… want to get back to where I was.”

“I get that.” Victoria laid a hand on her shoulder. “Hey. You know what we’d call this sort of thing?”

“What?”

“A setback. And nobody’s ever come back from rock-bottom without at least one.” She nodded. “You’re not starting back over. It’s temporary, just like you not having Anna. You’ll get past it, back to where you were before, and then you’ll climb up to where you need to be.”

“… it doesn’t feel like it.” Lindsey rubbed her face. “Feels like the finish line got kicked further back.”

“Even if it did, you’re still running the race. You’ll get there.”

“I guess.” Lindsey took a breath as she picked her head back up. “Sorry I was late. I heard them say you got something?”

“My five-year coin. And don’t worry about it, you had a good reason.”

“Oh, cool. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” Victoria smiled. “I look forward to being there when you get yours.”

“… me too.”

The door behind them opened. Victoria turned to see Max and Steph walk out. “Hey,” Steph greeted. “How are we doing?”

“We’re good.” Victoria glanced back at Lindsey. “I haven’t introduced my fiancée to you yet, right?”

“No.”

“Lindsey, this is Max.” Victoria nodded as the brunette stepped around the bench. “Max, this my sponsee, Lindsey.”

“Hi, Lindsey.” Max smiled warmly, as she extended her hand. “Victoria’s told me about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Lindsey shook her hand. “You too.”

“Are you joining us for dinner?”

“Yes,” Victoria answered for her. “I mean, unless you want to go back to your vegan friend’s apartment and miss out on your burger.”

Lindsey smirked. “Definitely not.”

* * *

“So, how long have you been sober?”

Lindsey finished her sip of soda before answering. “Ninety-four days.”

“Congrats.” Max nodded. “Can I ask how you keep track?”

“I, uh, use a little dry-erase board we keep on the fridge.” She shrugged. “We mostly use it to write down food we need to get, but my roommate lets me write my number in the corner.”

Max and Steph couldn’t help but smirk. “Was that Victoria’s idea?” Steph asked.

“Yea.”

Steph looked at her. “Wonder where she got it from.”

“Someone who was very smart and selfless,” Victoria answered dryly. “Though her table manners leave something to be desired.”

Max snorted into her soda, as Steph narrowed her eyes. “… shut up.”

Lindsey looked confused. “Sorry?”

“Steph gave that idea to Victoria,” Max stage-whispered across the table. “Back when she was only a couple months sober.”

“Ah.” Lindsey looked at Steph. “So… you’re Victoria’s sponsor?”

“That is my cross to bear.” Steph gestured at Victoria with her still-wrapped straw. “And ‘tis a heavy burden to shoulder, at that.”

“Oh, the hell it is.” Victoria rolled her eyes. “Heavy burden, my ass.”

The others were still snickering when their waitress reappeared, a tray full of food in her hands. “Okay, I’ve got two cheeseburgers, a chicken club, and waffles,” she stated as she laid them out. “Enjoy, you guys.”

Victoria shook her head as she picked up her club sandwich. “Still can’t believe you ordered waffles at eight o’clock at night.”

“Why?” Max opened a syrup packet and started pouring. “We’ve been together for years, and you’re still shocked that I ordered my favorite food?”

“It’s dinnertime, not breakfast.”

“Waffles are good at any time of the day.” Max smirked. “I may ask if they can have a waffle bar at our wedding.”

“I’m pretty sure Fiona would have heart palpitations if you did.” Victoria paused. “Though that sounds pretty cool, now that you mention it. Maybe for breakfast the next morning.”

Max glanced at her. “… don’t joke about that.”

“We could ask Fiona, see what she says. I’ll bet she could make it happen.”

“Well, we are now.”

Victoria shook her head as she picked up her sandwich. Then she stopped, staring. After a few seconds, she nudged Max with an elbow. “Hey.”

“Mm?” Max looked up as she took a bite of her waffles. “Wha?”

The blonde nodded across the table. Lindsey was going at her burger with the usual level of enthusiasm, pausing every couple of bites to eat a fry. Steph, on the other hand, was taking slow bites. For her, anyway. Max and Victoria watched her chew her food and swallow, before each bite she took.

It wasn’t until Steph put the burger down and picked up a fry that she noticed them staring. “… what are you two looking at?”

“A miracle,” Victoria said in wonder.

“Dude, shut up.”

“She might not be well.” Victoria glanced at Max. “A wizard may have cast a spell on her. We should get her to a doctor, quickly.”

“Or maybe she isn’t Steph.” A grin broke across Max’s face. “She could be an imposter.”

“Crap. You’re right.” Victoria looked back at Steph. “What’s my father’s first name?”

“Or my mother’s?” Max chimed in. “What color is your bridesmaid dress going to be?”

Steph threw the fry at Victoria, who dodged the flying morsel as it sailed past her head. “Both of you can bite me.”

“She’s not answering,” Victoria told Max. “I’m concerned.”

“I’m trying to eat slower, okay?” Steph folded her arms. “You guys have been busting my balls about this for years. Now it’s funnier when I’m trying to quit?”

“Only because you haven’t tried for years,” Victoria told her. “Why now?”

Steph sighed. “… I went on a date last weekend. And the girl made fun of how fast I ate.”

“Ah ha.” Max leaned back in her seat. “Sorry.”

“No, I… not like that. She was just teasing me.” Steph picked up and ate another fry. “I figured I’d try and put a little more effort into slowing down.”

Victoria hummed. “Sounds like you like this girl.”

“It was only the first date.” Steph paused. “… but it did go pretty well. Better than I thought it would.”

“Is there going to be a second date?” Max asked.

“Yea, but we’re both pretty busy, so I’m not sure when.”

“What does she do?”

“She’s a business executive of some kind.” Steph paused. “Though I can’t remember exactly where she works, or what she does.”

“That’s neat.” Victoria leaned forward. “Does that mean you’ll be bringing a plus-one to the wedding?”

Steph scoffed. “With a girl I’ll have been dating for six months? No way.”

“Mm. Fair enough.” Max shrugged as she picked her fork back up. “Glad to finally hear you’re over Melanie, too.”

“I was over that lying and cheating bitch months ago.”

“Yea, really sounds like it.”

“… shut up.”


	18. Served

**June 8 th, 2024**

“Oh, those look lovely.”

Victoria nodded as her mother examined the drawings on her phone. “I know. Courtney’s doing a great job.”

“She certainly is.” Mary handed the phone to Derek. “I love the dress-and-coat combination. It looks very nice.”

“I bet it’ll keep them warm, too,” Derek agreed as he looked over the picture, a color sketch Courtney had sent them of the final design. The four of them were in the penthouse, enjoying dinner as they took in the view of the city. “I’m really looking forward to this wedding, but I think everyone will appreciate it if you guys have a short ceremony.”

Max smirked. “We figured. We’re not gonna do any long speeches.”

“Fiona said the invitations will go out next week,” Victoria added as she accepted her phone back. “So if there are any last-minute adds, I guess now’s the time.”

“We’ve already given her the final list,” Derek assured them. “We did end up adding a few names. With plus-ones and family members, I think she said the guest count was close to two hundred.”

Max whistled. “Wow.”

“Anyone we’ll actually know?” Victoria asked. “Aside from politicians and billionaires?”

“Mm.” Derek sipped his scotch before replying. “Well, I doubt Max will know him, but do you remember Peter Kowalski?”

Victoria frowned. “That name sounds really familiar.”

“It might, but you haven’t seen him since you were six.” Derek looked up. “Maybe seven, when we spent a couple of months at his estate in Bahrain.”

“In… wait. Was that the place with that huge fountain in front of it?”

“Yes, it was.” Mary grinned. “Every time we walked past it, you had to throw something in it. You loved that thing.”

“You were probably the only one who did,” Derek joked. “It was an absolutely hideous replica of the Trevi Fountain from Rome, and Peter hated it with a passion. I recall during bad times, he took out his frustrations by chucking beer and wine bottles at it.”

“Did he really?”

“God, yes. The bottom of that pool was probably covered in broken glass.” Derek chuckled at the memory. “You actually weren’t supposed to be throwing anything into the water, because the pump might’s clogged and broken. But Peter kept encouraging you because he wanted a reason to destroy it.”

Max and Victoria couldn’t help but laugh. “If he hated it so much, why did he buy it?” Max finally asked, her hand on her chest as she caught her breath.

“He didn’t. His ex-wife did, at the cost of almost half a million dollars.” Derek paused. “And I have it on very good authority that she put it in just to spite him.”

“Wow.” Victoria raised her eyebrows. “Must’ve been a nasty divorce.”

“I was there for enough to tell you that it absolutely was,” Derek agreed. “But Peter would be the first to tell you that it was worth it.”

“Why haven’t you seen him since?” Max asked. “He sounds like a good friend.”

“Business,” Derek said simply. “I underbid him a few times, and got contracts that he wanted. The relationship soured somewhat after that.”

Max frowned. “Did you bankrupt him or something?”

“Oh, no. He’s still incredibly wealthy.” Derek shrugged. “It was more of the principle, really. Peter’s a sharp businessman, but he tends to take things personally.”

“He’s remarried to a very lovely woman,” Mary added. “They have three girls, whom we had the pleasure of meeting a couple of years ago in England. We all kissed and made up, so to speak, and had a lovely time.”

“All of them are coming?”

“They are. He sent us an email, that he was looking forward to seeing you again.”

“Oh, and you might remember Kristen Giamatti,” Derek continued. “You met her in Seattle, when you were a young teenager. She came to the house on Mercer Island.”

“Yea. I remember her.” Victoria nodded. “The woman with the red hair, right? She gave me a bottle of perfume?”

“That’s right. She was there to negotiate terms for the import of her cosmetics from Italy.”

“I don’t remember seeing her more than once, though.”

“I don’t think you ever did,” Mary allowed. “She came back the next year, but by then you were studying at Blackwell.”

“… oh.”

“She still asked about you,” Derek mentioned. “She thought you were a very sweet girl.”

Victoria dropped her gaze. Max watched her fidget with the napkin in her lap. “… can I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

“How many of these people know about…” she hesitated. “What I… used to do?”

Derek and Mary fell silent, the two of trading glances. Max reached out and took Victoria’s hand, squeezing gently as Derek took a breath. “A few of them likely will,” he answered. “I’ve told Max, but your… troubles… haven’t been as much of a secret as we would like.”

“Nobody is going to bring it up at your wedding,” Mary said quickly. “That would be incredibly crass of them. Not to mention tactless, and highly inappropriate.”

“And the people they spoke to would remember what was said,” Derek assured her. “Dragging skeletons out of the closet, especially at someone’s wedding, isn’t going to happen.”

“I know. I didn’t think they would.” Victoria swallowed. “It’s…”

“What?”

Victoria spent several seconds struggling for words.

“She’s embarrassed,” Max finally offered. “Right?”

The blonde nodded, her eyes still in her lap.

Derek licked his lips before speaking. “Do you know why Peter doesn’t have a residence in Bahrain anymore?”

Victoria looked up. “No.”

“Because he got incredibly drunk, took his Ferrari onto the highway, and caused a four-car-pileup. Which put seven people in the hospital.” Derek leaned back in his chair. “The government wanted to throw him in jail. He only got off because he paid for all the damages, offered some rather hefty bribes, and promised to leave the country.”

Max was taken aback. “He did?”

“It cost him QUITE a lot. In both money and reputation. And he’s not going to be the only person there with a similar story.”

“The point, Victoria, is that nobody there is going to care about your past,” Mary interjected. “Not when they all have one of their own.”

“… right.” Victoria looked up. “Sorry. I guess it’s a dumb thing to worry about.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Mary reached out and rubbed her arm. “You went through a bad time. And you got over it. Not everyone does.” She smiled. “If they did, Max would be out of a job.”

Max smirked. “I suppose that’s true.”

“Let’s change the subject. What are you guys getting your friends as bridesmaid gifts?”

Victoria tilted her head. “On top of their own sheepskin jackets?”

“Well, I’m sure they’ll like those,” Derek allowed. “But they’ll kind-of need them. You two did decide to have a wedding in the middle of winter, and responsible brides don’t let their wedding party die of hypothermia.”

* * *

“What about spa treatments?”

Victoria glanced to her right, as she drove them back to Georgetown. “Huh? Spa treatments?”

“As our gifts to the bridesmaids,” Max reminded her. “Like, some deluxe treatment packages or something. I bet they’d like that.”

“Mm. Maybe.” Victoria looked back at the road, turning towards the highway. “That seems a little generic, though.”

“You have a better idea?”

“I didn’t say I did. I just think that we can do better. Plus, we need to give something to Alice, too, and they won’t do spa treatments for a kid.”

“… crap.” Max dropped her head backwards, into her seat. “I didn’t think about her.”

“Me either, until just now. Any ideas?”

“I mean, we could just give her a toy.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “This isn’t her birthday. It should be a little more meaningful than a Barbie doll.”

“I know, I was just being facetious. But don’t tell me she wouldn’t be thrilled if we-”

Max’s phone interrupted, buzzing from her pocket. She pulled it out to check the screen. “Uh oh.”

“What?”

“It’s one of our CNAs. She’s on overnight duty this week.” She answered the call. “Maya?”

“ _Max, we’ve got a problem._ ”

“What? With who?”

“ _It’s Brooke. And… I’m not sure._ ” She took a breath. “ _Someone came to the door a few minutes ago, with a delivery she needed to sign for. I went up and got her, and the guy handed her a big envelope. She pulled out some papers, took one look, and started freaking out._ ”

“What were they?”

“ _I don’t know, I didn’t see. But… I think the guy might’ve been a process server._ ”

Max immediately covered the phone. “Get on the highway heading north,” she ordered Victoria. “I gotta get to work. Right now.”

The blonde took one look at her face and obeyed, not asking questions. She changed lanes just as they hit the on-ramp, and Max turned back to the phone. “Where is she now?”

“ _She ran upstairs, Max. I think she might be packing her bag._ ”

“Listen to me very carefully, Maya. Do NOT let her leave before I get there,” Max said forcefully. “Distract her, stall her, make her fill out useless paperwork, whatever it takes. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“ _I’ll do my best. But you better hurry._ ”

Max hung up and worked her phone screen. “What’s happening?” Victoria asked, clearly worried.

“Not now.” Max glanced up, seeing that they were merging into the highway traffic. “Go faster.”

Victoria complied, moving into the far-left lane as Max found the contact she was looking for. She held the phone to her ear as it rang once. Twice.

Then a beep. “ _You’ve reached Doctor Graham’s cell phone, please leave a-_ ”

“Fuck!” Max hissed as she hung up. “You little…”

“What?” Victoria probed. “What’s wrong?”

She didn’t answer as her fingers flew over the screen.

 **Max:** DON’T SEND ME TO VOICEMAIL

 **Max:** ANSWER YOUR PHONE

“Swear to God…” Max dialed again, squeezing the phone tightly as she held it to her ear.

On the fourth ring, the call finally connected. “ _What is it, Max?_ ” Warren asked, sounding absolutely exhausted.

“What did you do?” Max demanded. “What just got delivered to my rehab center?”

Silence answered her. After several seconds, Warren sighed heavily. “ _… I don’t want to do this anymore._ ”

“Were they divorce papers?”

“ _Yes. They were._ ”

“What the hell?! She’s been here for a week!”

“ _Max, you have no idea what the past three months have been like for me. She’s taken every opportunity to throw my so-called ‘overreaction’ back in my face. And I don’t remember the last conversation we had that didn’t end in an argument._ ”

“Warren-”

“ _She’s gaslit me, belittled me, insulted me, she fucking LIED to me, Max. She hasn’t been going to the gym twice a week, she doesn’t even have a membership; she’s been meeting her fucking drug dealer at a park, where kids go to play after school. And then when that fell through, she fucking stole…_ ”

His voice trailed off. “Stole?” Max asked. “Stole what?”

“ _Go figure. She hasn’t told you what she did._ ” He scoffed. “ _If she’s going to pick the drugs over her marriage and career, then the drugs can have her._ ”

Max slumped in her seat, resting her forehead in her hands as she tried to think of what to say. “… she can do better,” she finally offered.

“ _Yea, well, I can too. And she’s already cost me enough._ ”

“What does that mean?”

He sighed again. “ _Tell her when you see her that I said thanks, for costing me the spot on Doctor Collins’ team. I’m going back to bed._ ”

“But-”

Too late. The call terminated.

“Crap.” Max shoved the phone back in her pocket, turning back to Victoria. “We need to hurry.”

The blonde pushed down on the gas pedal, the car accelerating.

* * *

_This isn’t good._

Victoria focused on the road as she sped off the highway, taking a fast turn towards the rehab center. Max was practically vibrating in her seat, the brunette was so anxious. “Let me out in front of the doors,” she said absently. “Quickly.”

“Almost there.”

The building finally appeared as she drove down the street. The tires on her Prius squealed as Victoria pulled into the lot, applying the brakes as the entrance got closer. Max didn’t even wait for her to come to a full stop before she opened the door, jumping out and sprinting towards the building.

 _Shit._ Victoria stared at the double doors, as they swung shut behind her fiancée. _What do I do now?_

Unsure, she turned the wheel and pulled into an empty parking spot. Then she got out of the car, closing the door behind her and heading for the entrance.

She could see Max just inside the doors. A blonde woman in scrubs with an undercut, who she assumed was the Maya that called, stood beside her. Both of them had their arms extended in a calming gesture, and Victoria could hear muted arguing with someone she couldn’t discern. Not knowing what else to do, she pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

“-not going to make things better!” Max was exclaiming. “You aren’t-”

“FUCK YOU!!” The third woman screamed. “I’M FUCKING LEAVING!!”

“You can’t even go home tonight! There aren’t any flights leaving for California until tomorrow!”

“I DON’T CARE!! I HAVE TO GO!!”

“This isn’t going to convince Warren to stay!”

“GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!!”

Victoria stood frozen as she took in the scene. She noted the woman’s frazzled black hair and glasses, along with the duffle bag looped around her shoulder. And how familiar she looked.

_Married to a someone named Warren. From California._

_Oh my God, that’s… is that Brooke? Brooke Scott?_

The CNA tried to reach for the duffle bag, but Brooke lashed out, throwing her hands away. “DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME!!"

“There aren’t any cabs, and you’re not walking along the road at this time of night,” Maya stated. “You can’t just leave-”

“THE FUCK I CAN’T!!”

Brooke surged forward, but Maya was ready for it; she wrapped an arm around her and bodily pushed, causing her to stumble backwards. “Enough!” she yelled. “You aren’t-”

“LET ME THE FUCK OUT!!”

“Stop!” Max yelled, trying to get her attention. “Brooke, listen to me! Warren is angry! And he isn’t going to shred the divorce papers just because you leave! You’re not-”

“FUCK YOU!!” she screamed. “HE’S NOT LEAVING ME!! HE CAN’T LEAVE ME!!”

“Why not?!” Max snapped. “Do you think a doctor in California wants to keep a wife that pops pills like they’re fucking skittles?!”

Brooke’s eyes flashed with anger. Victoria blinked and almost missed the fist that swung for her fiancée’s face.

Max jerked backwards, the punch barely missing her nose. Brooke swung wildly a second time, and Max ducked, the second blow flying over her head. The third punch was caught by Maya, and the CNA swung her around, throwing Brooke to the floor and sending the duffle bag flying. In less than a second, she had both of Brooke’s arms pinned behind her back.

“LET GO OF ME!!” Brooke screamed, struggling wildly. “LET ME GO!!”

Maya didn’t answer, her face a mask of concentration as she tightened her grip. Brooke thrashed madly, screaming and raging, spittle flying from her mouth as she cursed Maya, Max, and the rehab center. Max kept her distance, staying clear of Brooke’s legs as she kicked wildly.

Victoria could only stare in shock, unable to speak.

_… what the hell happened to her?_

Over several minutes, Brooke’s screaming slowly lost volume, and her resistance to Maya’s hold became weaker. Her face was so red it almost looked like a tomato as she gave one last valiant struggle, while the CNA easily kept her pinned.

Then she fell silent and slumped, breathing hard as she gasped for air.

No, not gasping. After several seconds, Victoria realized Brooke was letting quiet sobs escape her lungs.

Max finally spoke up. “Maya, I think you can let her go now.”

The CNA nodded in agreement as she eased up, releasing Brooke’s arms as she took the knee off her back. Brooke made no move to get up as she let her arms fall to her sides, continuing to cry.

“Okay.” Max knelt beside her and took hold of her shoulder. “Let’s get you up, Brooke. Come on, off the floor.”

Brooke didn’t move. Maya finally knelt on the other side, grabbing her other shoulder. Her and Max slowly lifted Brooke upright and half-dragged, half-carried her to the nearby couch, the dark-haired girl continuing to sob as she was gently set down. Maya was dusting off her hands as she turned around, stopping as she noticed Victoria.

“Max,” she muttered, nudging the brunette.

Max looked over her shoulder, staring at her fiancée. After a few seconds, she sighed and stood back upright, stepping past Maya to stop in front of Victoria, who still hadn’t taken her eyes from Brooke. “Babe, you have to go,” she said quietly.

“That’s Brooke Scott.” Victoria finally made eye contact with her fiancée. “Isn’t it?”

“Seriously, Victoria, you cannot be here right now.” Max spared a quick glance over her shoulder, though Brooke seemed to be ignoring all of them as she bawled into her lap. “Please go wait in the car.”

“… okay.”

Victoria gave Brooke one last glance, before she walked out.

* * *

It took forty-five minutes for Max to finally leave the rehab center.

Victoria spent most of her time in the driver’s seat of her Prius, lost in her thoughts as she stared at the entrance.

_I wonder what she’s here for._

_Taylor said she’s a doctor now. So she’s got access to all kinds of addictive prescription medication. Could be anything, really._

_And Warren’s divorcing her._ Victoria felt her gut tighten. _I didn’t even hear that they’d gotten married._

Curious, she pulled out her cell phone. Finding Warren on Facebook was easy enough, and she scrolled through his timeline. It didn’t take long to find a four-year-old picture of him standing on a beach, one arm wrapped around Brooke’s waist. She wore a white sundress, while he was in khaki pants and a white button-up shirt.

She couldn’t help but snort in amusement at the flip-flops on his feet. _Talk about appropriate wedding footwear._

_They do look comfy, though. Maybe Max and I should’ve considered a beach wedding._

The photo was captioned with a cute quote, about tying the knot with his best friend and the love of his life. Victoria couldn’t help but admire how happy the two of them looked.

 _And now it’s all gone to shit._ Her smile faded as she looked between the entrance of the rehab center and the photo on her phone. _I can’t believe it. How bad is she?_

The door opened, and Max walked out. She looked absolutely exhausted as she trudged down the stairs. Victoria watched her open the passenger door and practically pour herself into the seat.

Neither of them said as word as Max closed the door, dropping her head against the window and closing her eyes.

“… is she okay?” Victoria finally asked.

“No.”

She waited for Max to elaborate, but the brunette didn’t say anything else for several seconds. Eventually, she opened her eyes. “Can we please go home now?” she murmured. “I’m tired.”

Victoria nodded, pushing the button to start the car. “Are you okay? I saw her swing at you.”

“I am now.” Max touched her nose. “She’s got a mean right hook.”

“You rewound?”

“Three times.”

“She only swung twice.”

“I didn’t move fast enough the second time.” Max shook her head. “I can still feel it, for some reason.”

“That’s weird.”

“Agreed.”


	19. Problem

**June 9 th, 2024**

“She hasn’t moved all morning.”

Max glanced sideways at Tina, the two of them leaning on the third-floor railing as they looked into the common area below. Their focus was on Brooke, who was sitting on a sofa, elbows resting on her knees as she stared at the floor. “Not at all?”

“Well, every once in a while, she does try to make a phone call.” Tina pointed. “There. She’s doing it again.”

They watched her lift a phone to her ear, listening quietly. After thirty seconds or so, she lowered it. “She must be trying to call her husband,” Max deduced. “And he’s not answering.”

“Well, he did just serve her divorce papers. Probably not in the mood to talk to her.” Tina paused. “By the way, I know he’s your friend and all, but that was not exactly helpful while she’s up here.”

“I know.” Max rubbed her nose. “But there’s nothing we can do about that now.”

“I suppose not.”

They continued staring at Brooke, not speaking. After a few seconds, footsteps approached from behind them. Steph appeared at Max’s other elbow, as she joined them on the railing. “So, I was just talking to a couple of the patients,” she mentioned. “I heard some girl went crazy and tried to fight Maya at ten o’clock last night.”

“Did you now?” Max asked dryly.

“Yep. Caused quite a ruckus. Apparently she woke everyone here when she started screaming.” Steph cocked her head. “Anything you want to share?”

“Sounds like you’ve already got the gist of it.” Max glanced at her. “A process server came for Brooke last night. Her husband’s suing her for divorce.”

“Ah ha.” Steph inhaled slowly. “Well, that’s shitty.”

“Sure is.”

“Though not unexpected, to be honest.”

“I guess not.” Max looked back at Brooke as she brought the phone back to her ear again. “I should probably go talk to her.”

“I would,” Tina agreed. “Any idea what you’re going to say?”

“Not yet.”

With that, Max stood and turned for the stairs. She spent the trip to the first floor trying to figure out what to say in her head, but wasn’t sure what would work.

 _I guess I’ll just go with the flow._ She couldn’t help but allow herself a small smirk. _I’m good at that, if nothing else._

Brooke didn’t acknowledge her presence as Max approached. Or as she slowly sat down beside her. The dark-haired girl continued to stare at the floor, a dejected look on her face. Max elected to sit silently and wait for her to speak.

When she finally did, it was a soft mumble Max could barely hear. “Hmm?”

Brooke licked her lips and swallowed, trying again. “I’m sorry I tried to punch you,” she muttered.

_That’s promising._

“I appreciate that. And I accept your apology.” Max paused. “I’m sorry, too. For what I said. That wasn’t appropriate.”

Brooke shrugged.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like shit.” She ground the heel of her hand into an eye. “Still tired.”

“You didn’t sleep last night,” Max guessed.

“Not really.”

Max glanced at the phone in her hand. “Has Warren answered your calls?”

“… no.” Brooke sniffled. “I think he turned his phone off. It just goes to voicemail.”

“Right.” Max inhaled slowly. “I spoke to him, last night.”

Brooke turned her head to face her, an anxious look on her face. “You did?”

“In the car, on the way here. We had a short conversation.” Max hesitated. “He’s pretty angry, Brooke. I don’t think he wants to talk to you right now.”

“But… I’m his wife,” she protested weakly.

“Yes. You are.” Max nodded. “Why do you think he might not want to talk to you?”

“I…”

Max tilted her head as Brooke hesitated, seemingly unsure of what to say. “Well?” Max pressed. “You know how you’re been acting towards your husband for the past three months. Do you think he appreciated that? And then after everything you did and said, how do you expect him to react to you failing a drug test at work?”

Brooke didn’t answer, dropping her gaze back into her lap.

“Okay, Brooke, listen… he told me to tell you something, when we spoke last night,” Max recalled, as she prepared to rewind; she had no idea how Brooke would take the message. “He said to thank you for costing him the spot on Doctor Collins’ team.”

Her head jerked around. “… what?” she whispered. “He lost his spot?”

“That’s what he said.”

“No.” Brooke’s eyes went distant, and Max noticed her hands starting to shake. “No, no, no, that’s not my fault. That’s… he earned that, it was promised to him, he’s been studying for months…”

Max watched her carefully, as her breathing started to quicken. “Who’s Doctor Collins?”

“He’s…” Brooke’s lips quivered. “He’s a neurologist,” she answered as her voice cracked. “One of the best in the country. He consults on the toughest cases from all over the world, and every year he picks a resident to assist him. Warren’s been trying to get that slot since we were interns.”

“Oh.” Max sat back into the couch. “Brooke…”

“No.” She shook her head fiercely. “No, I had nothing to do with that. I didn’t! They can’t just take it away because of what I-”

Her voice hitched as she dropped her head into her hands, her shoulders shaking as she tried to hold back sobs. Max scooted closer and laid a hand on Brooke’s shoulder as the dark-haired girl let tears slide down her face.

Several minutes passed before Brooke was able to lift her head, wiping her face as she snorted deeply. “He’s never gonna talk to me again,” she wept. “I didn’t… oh, God, he really is gonna divorce me…”

“Okay.” Max squeezed her shoulder. “Brooke, please listen to me.”

She turned her head slightly towards Max.

“We want to help you. We CAN help you.” She paused. “But first, I want you to admit that you have a problem.”

Brooke swallowed, hard, as she dropped her gaze and nodded.

“No. Say it out loud.”

“I… oh, God.” She snorted again, wiping her nose before letting out a shaky breath. “I have a problem.”

“Good. Now, look at me.”

She obeyed, turning to meet Max’s gaze. The eyes behind her glasses were red as she blinked through tears.

“Do you want to get better?”

Brooke nodded.

“Will you let us help you?”

She nodded again. Max could practically feel the defeat emanating from her drooped shoulders, as the girl continued to sniffle.

“Will you tell me the truth about when you took your last pill?”

Her gaze fell again. “… yesterday,” she mumbled. “Just before lunch.”

 _Fuck. Knew I should’ve trusted my gut._ Max kept her face neutral as she slowly nodded. “Do you have any left?”

“Yea.”

“I’d like you to give them to me.”

Brooke nodded, quickly wiping her face again. Then she reached towards her feet and pulled loose the laces on her right sneaker. Max watched her remove the shoe, then take out the insole to reveal a cutout in the bottom, concealing a baggie of pills.

She accepted the bag as Brooke handed them over, rubbing the pills through the plastic. “How did you get these through the airport? Didn’t they x-ray your shoes?”

“I have Pre-Check,” Brooke muttered, sniffing again. “I didn’t have to take them off.”

“Ah.” Max slipped the pills into her pocket. “This is a good thing, Brooke. Admitting that you have a problem and asking for help is the first step towards getting sober.”

“… okay.” Brooke sniffed deeply, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. “Now what?”

Max took a slow breath. “Do you think you’re ready to talk about what happened at the hospital?”

The way Brooke deflated even further than Max thought was possible told her that she wasn’t.

“Never mind. We can get to that later.” Max nodded towards the cafeteria. “Why don’t we talk a little more over breakfast. Tina said you haven’t eaten yet.”

* * *

“How do I get Warren to talk to me?”

Max paused at the sudden question. Brooke was sitting across from her, absently poking her fork at a plate of scrambled eggs. “What do you mean?”

“He won’t answer his phone. And he barely spoke before I left.” Brooke kept her eyes on the food she’d barely eaten. “I don’t want to get divorced.”

“Mm.” Max set down her cup of coffee before folding her arms. “Why don’t you want to get divorced?”

“Because I love him.”

“And what have you done to show him that recently?” Max asked pointedly. “Because Warren didn’t sound like someone who’s had a happy marriage for the past few months, when I spoke to him last night.”

Brooke flinched, as she remained silent.

“What would you even say to him?” Max probed. “I really want to know.”

“… that I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I don’t…” Brooke looked up and waved her hand around. “Everything.”

“No, don’t generalize. Be specific. And besides the thing with Doctor Collins’ team.” Max leaned forward. “What do you have to apologize for?”

Brooke squirmed uncomfortably. “… the drugs,” she finally settled on.

“You’re still generalizing.”

“I don’t know what you’re looking for, Max.”

Max set her elbows on the table. “I want you to tell me, in your own words, how you think Warren feels right now.”

“… mad?” Brooke offered. “Angry? Upset?”

“Why?”

“Because of what I did.”

“Be SPECIFIC,” Max stressed. “Tell me what you did. Because an apology doesn’t mean shit if you don’t say what you’re apologizing for.”

Brooke’s gaze dropped back to her food as she fell silent again.

Footsteps approached, and Max turned just as Steph made an appearance. “Hey,” she greeted them. “How are we doing?”

Max looked pointedly at Brooke, who stared at her food while continuing to say nothing. “I suppose we’re doing a little better,” Max finally allowed.

“Good to hear.” Steph thumbed over her shoulder. “We were about to start the morning group session. Do you guys think you’ll be coming?”

“We might.” Max nodded to the chair between them. “Would you join us for a few minutes?”

“Sure.” Steph pulled the chair back and sat down, keeping a kind expression on her face. “How are you, Brooke?”

She shrugged, still silent.

“Is there anything you’d like to say to Steph?” Max asked.

Brooke finally glanced up. “… huh?”

“Making amends to the people we’ve wronged is one of the cornerstones of sobriety. And you owe apologies to a few people, not just Warren. I think Steph is one of them, given what you’ve said to her in the past and how you’ve acted in her group sessions.”

A surprised look flashed across Steph’s face, for a second, before she folded her hands on the table. She looked at Brooke patiently, as the dark-haired girl alternated between looking at her and her lap.

“… I’m sorry,” she finally muttered.

“For what?” Max probed. “Be specific. Tell her what you did wrong.”

Brooke licked her lips, gathering her thoughts before she answered. “For acting out during your group sessions,” she clarified quietly. “And insulting you.”

“Why did you do it?” Max pushed.

“… I was mad. And I didn’t want to be here.” Brooke rubbed her eye with one hand. “And… I guess I took it out on you because I thought you were an easy target. I’m really sorry.”

Steph pursed her lips, as she examined Brooke closely. After a few seconds, she nodded. “I accept your apology,” she said. “Thank you.”

They both watched the tension ease from Brooke’s shoulders.

“Good job,” Max said encouragingly. “You’re already making progress. But you’re going to have to come to terms with something, Brooke, so you might as well hear it now.”

“What?”

“Not everyone is going to accept your apology, like Steph did,” Max emphasized. “You need to acknowledge that you may have hurt some people so badly that your apology won’t matter. And there isn’t anything you can do about it.”

The physical effect of hearing Max’s words was visible to everyone, as Brooke seemed to collapse on herself. After a few seconds, she sighed heavily. “… okay.”

“Come on.” Steph stood back up. “The group will be starting soon. You don’t have to talk, if you don’t want,” she added. “But maybe try listening to what other people have to say.”

Brooke nodded as she slowly got up, walking in front of Steph towards the group meeting rooms.

As they walked, Steph glanced over her shoulder back at Max. She had an impressed look on her face as she mouthed the word ‘wow!’

Max responded by smirking, then wiping some imaginary dirt off her shoulder. Steph shook her head as she rounded the corner.

 _I didn’t even have to rewind._ Max sipped her coffee, pleased with herself. _God damn, I’m good._

* * *

**Max:** Hey. Please text me back when you turn your phone on.

 **Warren:** It is on.

 **Max:** Sorry. Brooke said it was going straight to voicemail.

 **Warren:** That’s because I blocked her number.

 **Max:** Oh.

 **Warren:** Look, I’m not in the mood to get a lecture.

 **Max:** I’m not trying to give you one.

 **Max:** Actually, I wanted to apologize for making it seem like I was mad, when we talked last night. I was just caught by surprise.

 **Warren:** … I guess I should’ve given you a heads-up. I’m sorry, too.

 **Max:** Can I ask how serious you are, about divorcing Brooke?

 **Warren:** After everything she put me through, and what she’s cost me? Personally, and professionally? I really don’t want to hear about giving her a second chance right now.

 **Max:** I’m not trying to convince you otherwise. Brooke made her own bed.

 **Max:** But you should know that getting that paperwork, and hearing that she cost you your place on Dr. Collins’ team, was VERY upsetting for her. More than you can imagine. It was the eye-opening she needed to admit that she’s an addict.

 **Warren:** Is that supposed to make me feel better? Or bad for her?

 **Max:** No. It’s just so you know that she wants to change.

 **Warren:** Yea, well, maybe she should’ve done it months ago, when I begged and pleaded with her.

 **Warren:** Right now, it’s too little, too late.


	20. NA

**June 15 th, 2024**

Twice a month, Max and the other counselors held what they referred to as their “Hard-Noses” meeting.

During that time, each one of them would bring their more difficult patients to the table and explain where they were in their treatment. It was a chance for all of them to get outside perspectives and see if there were better ways to help their patients get better. Or coming up with new ways to break through a patient’s stubbornness.

None of them were surprised to find Steph carrying Brooke’s folder when she sat down.

“She still won’t talk about what she did at the hospital,” she was explaining to the others. “To me, anyway. Whenever I mention it, she shuts down.”

Max nodded, as she sat across the table from her. “I know. She won’t talk to me about it, either.”

“DO you know?” Jerry asked from his seat beside Steph. “She’s your friend from high school. And you’re talking to her husband.”

“No. He won’t tell me.”

Tina leaned forward. “You said she was forced to take a drug test, right? And that she’s currently on administrative leave?”

“That’s what their HR said. Pending the results of an investigation.”

“… could be a few things.” Tina drummed her fingers on the table. “None of them particularly good. Doctors don’t grow on trees, so hospitals are pretty reluctant to take disciplinary action against them. When they finally do, it’s usually because they’ve done something pretty bad.”

“What would they be investigating?” Steph asked.

“Honestly, the first thing that comes to mind is something involving Brooke’s treatment of a patient.” Tina paused. “But they don’t usually order drug tests just because a patient gets hurt or dies. They’d be doing them non-stop if they did. So… I don’t know.”

“I have to wonder if it’s necessary to drag it out of her,” Jerry mentioned. “I mean, I know that talking about her past behavior is important. But she’s clearly uncomfortable doing so.”

“There’s no point in ignoring it,” Max countered. “Whatever happened is the reason she’s here. She needs to come to terms with what she’s done, her discomfort notwithstanding.”

“Maybe. But I’m also worried about possible legal matters,” Jerry added as he nodded at Steph’s file. “If whatever happened involved malpractice, we might inadvertently become part of a lawsuit. I could see an opposing lawyer serving anyone involved with her addiction treatment with subpoenas; we could be forced to repeat whatever she tells us.”

Steph frowned. “Aren’t we covered by patient confidentiality?”

“Not if there’s a court order.” Jerry looked at the others. “I’m not saying we shouldn’t help her. But I don’t know how far we want to go down this road.”

Tina pursed her lips. “I agree,” she said after a few seconds. “I’ve been forced to testify against patients in the past. It’s not something I’d like to repeat.”

Max tilted her head. “What for?”

“Can’t tell you. I only broke confidentiality for the court.” Tina inhaled slowly. “So… do we just drop it, then? Ask Brooke not to tell us?”

“I think that’s a mistake,” Steph replied quickly. “We’re supposed to be on her side here. Or at least give her that impression. If we tell her NOT to talk about what happened, especially after we’ve asked her a few times now? We’re gonna lose the trust we’ve earned.”

“… crap.” Jerry leaned back in his chair. “Talk about complicated.”

There was silence around the table for several seconds. Eventually, Max licked her lips and leaned forward. “… I may have a third option.”

Jerry raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“We can all agree that talking about it is important for her, right? And at the same time, we could be in a precarious legal situation if we find out in our roles as counselors?”

They all nodded.

“Well, we used to do a thing at my last rehab center…”

* * *

“Have you been able to talk to Warren yet?”

Brooke shook her head as she followed Max a few hours later, climbing the stairs to the third floor. “No,” she muttered. “… I think he blocked my cell phone. Either that, or it’s been off for the past week, but I know the hospital won’t let him do that.”

“I suppose not.” Max nodded sympathetically. “He needs time, Brooke.”

“I don’t think it’s gonna help.”

“Well, it’s not gonna hurt.”

Brooke shrugged as they got to the third floor, then frowned as Max turned. “Um… isn’t your office that way?” she asked, pointing behind them.

“Yes. We’re not going there.” Max walked a few doors down before stopping. “This is one of our conference rooms.”

“Why are we talking here?”

“I’m not going in there. Just you.”

Brooke adopted a cautious look. “… why?”

“Because I want you to know that in that room, you have complete and total confidentiality.” Max thumbed towards the door. “Nothing you say in there will ever leave, unless you want it to. You can tell them anything, and talk about whatever you want.”

“I thought I had that already.”

“You know there are limits to patient confidentiality. We don’t want you to feel constrained by them.”

Brooke glanced between Max and the door, then heaved a sigh. “… this is about what I did at the hospital.”

“Yes.”

“I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“Then don’t. If you want, you can just listen.” Max paused. “But I think you’ll find that talking about what you’ve done will help.”

Brooke licked her lips. “… fine.”

“Go on, then.”

She squared her shoulders as she slowly reached for the doorknob, pushing her way inside and leaving Max behind.

The first thing she noticed at that the large conference table had been pushed against the far wall. As had most of the chairs. There were only three left in the middle of the room, in a rough triangle. And two of the chairs were occupied.

Steph sat in the first one, though she stood as the door closed. Brooke didn’t recognize the second woman at first glance. She looked at Steph, confused. “… what’s going on?”

“Hey, Brooke.” Steph nodded towards the empty chair. “You want to sit?”

“No. I want to know what this is.” Brooke thumbed towards the door. “Max just talking about limits to your guys’ confidentiality. So why are-”

“This isn’t a group session, and I’m not hear as a counselor,” Steph interrupted. “This is a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.”

“A what?”

“Narcotics Anonymous. Come on, I know you know what that is.”

“I do know what it is. I’m just not sure how it’s different just because it’s the two of us and-”

Brooke glanced at the third woman and paused, realizing that she looked familiar. She struggled to place the short blonde hair for several seconds, before it clicked.

“… Victoria?”

“Hello, Brooke.” Victoria smiled, clutching her knee as she crossed her legs. “Been a while.”

“Yea.” Brooke hesitated. “What are you doing- wait, how did you know I was even…” her voice trailed off. “Max told you.”

“She didn’t. I had no idea you were here until a few days ago. Max and I were driving back from dinner, when she got that call about you. I drove her here.”

“… you saw that.”

“I did.”

Brooke sighed heavily. “And… what?” she asked tiredly. “You feel bad for me, and now you want to make me your project?”

“No. I just want to help.” Victoria took a slow breath. “That’s why I signed the mother of all non-disclosures before I came up here. Because I’ve been where you are.”

“And where’s that?”

“In single-digit days of sobriety. Feeling like your whole life is fucked. Being unable to see the top of the hole you’ve dug yourself into.”

Brooke scoffed. “I doubt it.”

“… okay. Then I’ll start.” Victoria leaned forward. “My name’s Victoria. And I’m an addict.”

“Hi, Victoria,” Steph greeted her.

“Wh- seriously?” Brooke raised an eyebrow. “You guys really do that? I thought that was just a thing on television.”

Steph looked at her, clearly irritated. “Do you want to sit?”

“… fine.” Brooke dragged herself over to the free chair and plopped down, sighing heavily. “Hi, Victoria.”

“It’s been five years and thirteen days since the last time I did a line of coke.” She took a shallow breath. “And even though it almost killed me… I still miss it.”

Brooke snorted, though she stayed silent.

“I was seventeen when I did my first line,” Victoria admitted. “I was meeting a drug dealer, to buy a bunch of pot for a party. I’d already paid him, but he could see that I still had a bunch of money left over, so he let me know that he sold other drugs, too. And I was curious, so I asked him what he had, and he broke out a big thing of cocaine. Said there was nothing else like it.”

She took another breath. “Boy, did he fucking undersell it.”

Brooke raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“Man, it was incredible. Just this feeling of power and euphoria, like I could do whatever the hell I wanted.” Victoria nodded as she gazed off into space. “That first night I tried it was one of the best nights of my life.”

“Damn.”

“I know.” She shook her head. “I thought I was smart, too. I knew it could be addictive, so I resolved that I’d only use it when I was going out to party. Then it got to, well, I was going to use it one time to make myself a little more alert. Then I was going to use it because I’d had a shitty day that I wanted to forget about. I didn’t realize what it was doing to my head, making me more and more dependent on it.”

She sighed. “Of course, that came to a head the day my best friend killed a girl in the high school bathroom.”

Brooke leaned back in her chair, as she stared off into space. “… Chloe Price.”

“Yep. That was a crappy week, getting interrogated by the cops. And people writing bad shit on my whiteboard, and Facebook page. And I deserved every bit of it, for how much of a bitch I was to everyone. Especially Kate Marsh.” She glanced at Brooke. “Overhearing conversations about how daddy was squirreling me away in Europe didn’t help my self-esteem.”

“… you heard that?”

“The doors in our dorm weren’t that thick.”

Brooke squirmed. “… sorry.”

“Yea, well, like I said, I deserved everyone’s vitriol.” Victoria shook her head. “I did a couple of lines before my friend came and got me, to get me away from everything. But we ran into a couple of other girls on our way out. We got into an argument, one of them said something I took offense to, and I answered by breaking her nose.”

“I remember that. And all this.” Brooke frowned. “Why are you telling me?”

“Because good stories start from the beginning.”

“This is a good story?”

Victoria smirked. “I didn’t say it was a happy one.”

“… right.”

“Anyway. I finished high school in Seattle, sneaking coke right underneath my parent’s noses, then ran off to UCLA with one of my other high school friends. I then proceeded to spend eighteen months making her life a living hell.”

“This is Courtney, right?” Brooke asked.

“You heard about this?”

“I heard the rumors.”

“Well, whatever you heard was probably true.” Victoria nodded. “I was doing coke constantly, at that point. She almost became my babysitter, because when I flew off the handle at something, she’d have to step in and wrangle me. Then I’d do a scary amount of coke, and she’d stay up late with me to make sure I didn’t die in my sleep. I’d convince her that I’d stopped, after she flushed my stash, then wait until she wasn’t looking before stealing the money from her purse to replace it. Even though I still had my parent’s credit card, I was pissed at her, so I figured fuck it, she could replace what she flushed.”

“Then we got to my midterm exams in sophomore year.” Victoria dropped her gaze to her knees. “I slept through my first one. She woke me and told me that I’d better get over and bargain with the professor to make it up. I tried to do a quick pinch of coke to wake up, but she snatched it from me. We got into a fight, and I had to break her nose to get my drugs back. Then when I DID go see the professor, he copped an attitude, so I threw a mug of hot coffee in his face. Which lead to my unofficial expulsion.”

“Unofficial?”

“My father stepped in to fix everything. Made a deal with UCLA to let me withdraw instead.”

“Must’ve been nice.”

“Not really. It wasn’t helpful for either of us.” Victoria sighed. “He stuck me in one of his investment properties and pretty much forgot about me. Threw me money and arranged for me to take bullshit online classes. I took the cash and turned around to spend it on more coke, until he figured out what I was doing and cancelled my credit cards.” She smirked. “I got two hundred bucks in cash for groceries each month. I spent a hundred and fifty bucks on drugs, and the other fifty on Ramen and bologna sandwiches.”

Steph wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”

“I didn’t care. I was only focused on getting high. And a hundred and fifty bucks doesn’t get you a lot of coke. So I pawned what I could. Sold almost everything I owned. Stole a few things, too, including my best friend’s necklace that belonged to her dead mother. And when that ran out, I… found another way to pay my dealer.”

She dropped her gaze to her lap. “I… Christ,” she muttered quietly. “I did things I wish to God that I could forget.”

Brooke looked at her with wide eyes. Steph reached out and squeezed Victoria’s hand silently.

After a few seconds, she picked her head back up and let out a deep breath. “It all came to a head five years and thirteen days ago. That was the morning my dealer sold me a bad hit of coke; the one that made me overdose, and almost killed me. I still have to see a cardiologist twice a year, to make sure my heart didn’t suffer any long-term damage.”

“… fuck,” Brooke breathed.

“Yea. THAT was a rough couple of weeks.” Victoria shook her head. “I was pretty much forced to go into rehab. I definitely didn’t want to be there, and I hated everyone who was trying to help me. But… they helped me anyway. And made me see how shitty of a person the cocaine actually made me.”

She licked her lips before continuing. “It took a long time to get my life sorted out, and it was really only because people were willing to put up with me. It was months before I could even begin reconnecting with my old friends. And it took almost a year for my parents to really trust me again.”

Victoria glanced at Brooke. “Like I said, I know it seems like everything is in the shitter. But you know what the good thing about being at rock-bottom is?”

Brooke looked at her keenly.

“The only way to go is back up.”

The dark-haired girl blinked, then shook her head. “That sounds like something Max would say.”

“It really does, doesn’t it?” Victoria cracked a smirk. “… do you want to talk? I know it doesn’t seem like it, but it can be pretty helpful.”

Brooke looked away, and took a slow breath. It seemed like she was about to say something, so Victoria and Steph watched her expectantly… but she didn’t. She blew the air out and kept her eyes on the far wall.

“… okay. I can go next.” Steph leaned onto her elbows. “I think-”

“I took my first pill when I was in med school.”

Steph shut up. Her and Victoria exchanged glances before focusing on Brooke.

“I, uh… fuck.” Brooke rubbed her eye. “I knew I wasn’t supposed to be doing it. But I was just so… fucking tired. Between classes and studying, I was only getting about four hours of sleep a night.”

“Damn,” Steph mentioned.

“Yea. There was one time, I had a test the next day, so I went to the library the night before and sat down to study. Next thing I knew, someone was shaking my shoulder to wake me up eight hours later.” Brooke shook her head. “I almost bombed the test.”

She glanced up. “Warren’s lucky. His parents are both lawyers, and they paid for his med school. My mom’s a secretary, and my dad works construction, so I didn’t get shit for financial support. The only thing helping me through were scholarships, but for the big ones, I had to keep my grades above a really high percentage. And after that test, they dropped below the cutoff. One of my classmates saw me struggling, and she offered me a Ritalin pill for our next exam.” Brooke sighed. “Like I said, I knew I wasn’t supposed to take it, but… I mean, I was desperate.”

“So you accepted,” Victoria finished.

“I did.” She nodded. “I was able to stay up all night to study, and I scored high enough to boost my grades back where they needed to be. So she hooked me up with another girl who sold the pills, and I brought a few more.”

“Where did she get them?” Steph asked curiously.

“Don’t know. Never asked.” Brooke shrugged. “I tried to limit how often I took one. And I swore that once I graduated, I’d stop.”

“Then Warren and I became interns.” She sighed. “You know what really, really sucks? We were so nervous for our first day that we didn’t sleep at all that night. Then we showed up, and they announced that we were on twenty-four-hour shifts, starting right then and there.”

“Wait, hang on, how do you work a twenty-four-hour shift?” Victoria had an incredulous look on her face. “That can’t be legal.”

“It is. Because we’re allowed to sleep at work.” Brooke paused. “Well, not really sleep so much as power-nap. Interns basically do all the crap work that the residents don’t want to, on top of continuing to study, so we slept when we could. And that wasn’t often. I got maybe two hours of decent sleep over that first shift.”

She squirmed, dropping her gaze. “… and I still had some pills left over.”

“You started taking them again,” Steph surmised.

“Kinda had to. Or… it felt like it, anyway.” Brooke glanced back up. “And I know I wasn’t the only one. I don’t think anyone got through that first year without some chemical help.”

“Warren took pills too?”

“No.” Brooke shook her head. “Just lots of coffee and Monster.”

“Why didn’t you do that?”

“I tried. But I hate the taste of those energy drinks, and coffee only helped so much.” She shrugged. “I found a new dealer who kept me supplied. And I tried to only take one when we needed to study.” She bit her lip. “And then when I was really tired. And then when I knew that it was gonna be a really long day.”

Steph nodded. “Slippery slope.”

“I guess. But it paid off. I was retaining everything I learned, and some of the more senior doctors started requesting my help. I mean… you can’t imagine how much of an ego boost you get, when a department head mentions you by name as being the most helpful intern he’s seen in years. I figured, you know, Ritalin isn’t THAT bad, I can stay on it until I don’t need it anymore.”

“Until Warren caught you,” Victoria deduced.

“… yea.” Brooke ran her hand through her hair. “God. That was so fucking embarrassing.”

Steph raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t seem embarrassed last time you were here.”

“I was humiliated.” Brooke couldn’t look at either of them. “I mean, he’d told me a bunch of times that I was gonna run that hospital someday. That he wished he could keep up with me. He used to joke that I was gonna leave him in the dust, and he’d retire to be a househusband. And then he found out the reason I did so well was because I was taking…” her voice trailed off. “… fuck.”

“Mm.” Steph sat back. “Explained why you lashed out so much. And left early.”

“Yea.” She threw Steph a quick glance. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. What happened when you got back to California?”

“I started taking the pills again. I had stuff I needed to catch up on.” She exhaled slowly through her nose. “Warren and I work in different parts of the hospital; I spent most of my time in the emergency room, and he was on the upper floors schmoozing with the neurology department. So it was easy to hide from him, because we barely saw each other while we were working.”

“But he kept finding reasons to go find me in the ER.” She rubbed her eye. “If we ever needed a Neuro consult, he’d take it. Or if he got an early lunch, he’d come see me. He just kept checking up on me, nonstop.”

“He was worried about you,” Steph assumed.

“… yea.” Brooke sighed. “I guess.”

“You disagree?”

“I just wanted him to stop worrying.” She itched at her hair. “… I fought with him. A lot.”

Victoria nodded. “I can imagine. So… then what?”

Brooke seemed to deflate, as she scratched at the skin of her thumb. Victoria and Steph could feel the apprehension as she stayed silent for several seconds.

“… my dealer got arrested a few weeks ago,” she muttered.

“He did?”

“I, uh, drove to meet him at a park near the hospital, and saw a shbunchitload of cop cars pull up as I was unbuckling my seat belt. They arrested him right there. A cop who was at the ER later told me that it was a huge sting operation, to round up as many low-level dealers as they could to get them to flip on their suppliers.” She shook her head. “I didn’t know anyone else who could get me pills. I had no idea what I was going to do, and I was getting desperate.”

She took a shaky breath and started rubbing her hands. “… we had a family come into the ER about a week later. Mom, dad, two kids. They were driving home from a restaurant when some drunk asshole in a super-heavy pickup truck ran a red light and t-boned them.”

“Ah, shit,” Steph muttered.

“Yea. Dad was driving, but he was mostly fine, just got a few cuts and bruises. Their daughter wasn’t even hurt, just freaked out.” She swallowed. “The truck hit the passenger side. The son got a few broken bones; they had to bring him into surgery, to put a screw into his arm. But the, uh, mom….”

Brooke wrung her hands. “We did everything we could, but it was really just a token effort; she was flat lined by the time we got to her, and there was brain matter in her hair. We pronounced after a few minutes.”

“Ah, shit is right.” Victoria leaned forward. “What about the other driver?”

“Not a scratch. No surprise there, either. Drunks turn into Gumby when they crash, I guess because God’s got a fucked-up sense of humor.” She sighed. “Anyway, we didn’t have many other cases, so I was helping the CNAs clean up the body. Getting it ready to send to the morgue, all the usual stuff. They finally took it out of the room, but I realized that we’d forgotten the personal effects. I started packing those up, putting them in the plastic bag to send down with the body.”

Brooke sniffled, as her hands started to shake. She rubbed her eyes before continuing. “She’d, uh, come in with her purse for some reason. Don’t know why, they usually stay with the wreckage, but I guess an EMT snatched it when they took her. I picked up her purse, it fell open, and…”

They watched Brooke hesitate, her entire body trembling as she wiped her eyes again. “There was a big, fat prescription bottle of Focalin, just lying there.”

Victoria frowned. “Focalin? What’s that?”

“Another ADHD medication. It’s like Ritalin, but more potent, and with fewer side effects,” Brooke recited numbly. “She had a lot of them. Found out later that they were about to go on a cruise, so she got enough to cover her daughter for a few weeks. And… I was on my last few Ritalin pills.”

She took a deep breath, then exhaled heavily. “… you took the bottle,” Victoria guessed.

“I did.” Brooke kept her eyes on the ground. “I stuck it in my pocket, before I put her purse in the bag.”

Steph sighed, as she leaned her elbows onto her knees. “Fuck.”

“Yea.” Brooke wiped her nose. “I… God, I could barely look at myself in the mirror. But I really, really needed them.” She paused. “Or… I thought I did. Jesus, I fucking…”

Victoria watched her take another deep breath, then another. Brooke wouldn’t pick her eyes up from the floor, or even look at the two of them.

“… what happened?” Steph asked gently. “After?”

“Nothing. Immediately, anyway.” Brooke wiped her eyes. “Christ, the dad was such a mess when they finally left the hospital a week later that he didn’t even notice. But I guess another relative called asking about the medication, because it hadn’t been in the mother’s purse when they’d gotten it back. And the daughter needed it, but because the prescription had been filled already, no pharmacy would help them.”

She sniffled. “And… our fucking trauma rooms have cameras in them.”

“Oh, shit,” Victoria muttered.

“Yea. The, uh, nurse that took the call was trying to be helpful, and he checked the footage.” Brooke’s lip quivered. “I’m on there, plain as fucking day, stealing a kid’s medication from the purse of her dead m-”

She couldn’t finish the sentence. Brooke’s voice caught as she hung her head even lower, running both hands through her hair. Her whole body shook with barely repressed sobs as she held her head in her hands.

Victoria couldn’t help but feel a cold pit in her stomach. After a few seconds, she moved her chair to sit beside Brooke. Steph mirrored her as they both laid comforting hands on the dark-haired girl’s shoulder.

It didn’t seem to help. It still took several minutes for Brooke to stop shaking, though she refused to lift her head. Or stop staring at the ground.

Steph eventually cleared her throat. “How much trouble are you in?”

“I…” Brooke snorted, rubbing her nose. “I’m not. Legally, anyway.”

“You aren’t?”

“The hospital didn’t want bad publicity. Or a lawsuit.” She sniffled again. “They told the family that the medication had been inadvertently destroyed. And replaced it free of charge.”

Victoria exhaled through her nose. “Wow.”

“But, uh… they found the pills in my locker. Minus what I’d already taken. They had security pull me and Warren off our services in the middle of our shift, so we could both be drug-tested and questioned, before they put me on administrative leave.”

“… okay,” Steph allowed. “So… you’re still, what? Being investigated?”

Brooke snorted, as she finally spared Steph a glance; her eyes were red and glistening with tears. “That’s a line of bullshit. My job’s toast.”

“But... you’re in rehab. You’re getting-”

“I stole a nine-year-old’s prescription medication while she was mourning the death of her mother. And I failed a drug test while I was treating patients.” She turned her gaze back to the floor. “My attending… God, you should have seen his face. He looked at me like I was the one who crashed into that family. They’re gonna fire me five minutes after I get back.”

Steph and Victoria exchanged glances over Brooke’s head.

“… fuck.” Brooke sniffled again. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

* * *

“Well, gang, I got good news and bad news.”

Max and Tina lifted their heads from the folder they’d been reading, as Steph walked into Tina’s office, shutting the door behind her. It had been about ninety minutes since Max had left them, and she hadn’t stopped worrying about Brooke since. “… you do? How was the meeting?”

“Productive, I suppose. If nothing else.”

“Did Brooke open up?”

“Like I said, I’ve got good news and bad news.”

Tina closed the folder and set it on her desk, pushing it away. “… what’s the good news?”

“We don’t have to worry about getting subpoenaed.” Steph dropped onto a chair, slouching low in the seat. “Or testifying against Brooke. That’s no longer a concern.”

“Ah. Well, that’s good.”

“Yea. It is.”

“So… what’s the bad news?”

“That she’s fucked.” Steph said it plainly, as if there was no argument. “She’s gonna lose her job at the hospital. And I’d give it ninety-ten odds that Warren’s still gonna divorce her.”

“Jesus.” Max leaned back. “Was it really that bad?”

“I mean, it could’ve been worse. But it was definitely pretty bad.”

“… okay.” Max took a slow breath. “Well… she can get another one. I mean, she’s a doctor. Hers isn’t the only hospital in Cali-”

“I don’t know about that, either,” Steph interrupted. “I doubt her old hospital will give her a good reference. And I don’t know what the rules are for HR telling future employers what their old doctors did, but…”

Tina sighed. “It’s a small world, at that level of medicine,” she allowed. “People will talk, if they haven’t already. Especially if it’s juicy gossip.”

“And trust me, this stuff was ESPECIALLY juicy.” Steph dragged her hand down her face. “I don’t think we can help her here. I don’t even know what she can do, in terms of employment. I mean… I really do think she’s screwed.” She glanced at Tina. “What do you think?”

“Not knowing what she did… you might be right,” she allowed. “She might be able to find work at a clinic or something. Maybe a private practice. But she won’t get the same level of education as she would in a major hospital, and without a finished residency on her resume…”

“Right.” Steph sighed heavily. “… shit.”

* * *

**Brooke:** I’m sorry, by the way.

 **Victoria:** For what?

 **Brooke:** The letter I sent you. Back when you were in rehab.

 **Brooke:** I just realized I should probably apologize for being a hypocrite.

 **Victoria:** … oh.

 **Victoria:** I’ll be honest, I’d totally forgotten about it.

 **Brooke:** You did?

 **Victoria:** I sent a lot of letters. And apologized to a lot of people.

 **Victoria:** Your reply did hurt. But I put it behind me. I knew I couldn’t make things right with everyone.

 **Brooke:** Still. Max was right, I should’ve been more supportive.

 **Victoria:** Max said that?

 **Brooke:** Yea, she sent me a pretty pissed-off text after you opened it. She called me rotten food.

 **Victoria:** Ouch.

 **Victoria:** Sorry.

 **Brooke:** I mean… I guess she wasn’t wrong.

 **Victoria:** No, she shouldn’t have said that.

 **Victoria:** Whether you forgave me or not was your decision to make. She shouldn’t have bullied you about it.

 **Brooke:** … just like it’ll be Warren’s.

 **Victoria:** Look… I don’t know Warren very well. But I did see the picture you guys posted online, when you got married on that beach.

 **Victoria:** I think he still loves you. He probably just needs some time to cool down.

 **Brooke:** I hope so.

 **Brooke:** If I lose my job… it’ll suck, but I’ll still have my MD. I’ll figure something out.

 **Brooke:** But I don’t want to lose Warren. I don’t know if I can handle that.

 **Victoria:** Keep working on getting better. Listen to Max and Steph; they know what they’re talking about. Show him that you want to change back to the person he married.

 **Brooke:** You think it’ll work?

 **Victoria:** I think it’s your best shot.

 **Brooke:** … I guess I don’t have any more to lose.


	21. Hired Help

**June 25 th, 2024**

“Who are you texting?”

Victoria picked her head up from her phone. “A, uh, old friend from high school.”

“Oh. Cool.” Lindsey shifted the bag on her shoulder, as she carried a hard case in her other hand. The two of them were walking towards a hotel, on their way to take pictures for a wedding. “You guys arranging a visit or something?”

“No. I’m trying to help her through some stuff.” Victoria finished the text, then put her phone back in her pocket. “She’s going through a rough patch right now, with her career and her husband.”

“Bummer. She gonna be alright?”

“I hope so.” Victoria cleared her throat, then stopped walking. “Wait. Did you grab the umbrellas or the lighting rig?”

“The lighting rig.” Lindsey stopped beside her, hefting the hard case. “Was I supposed to grab the umbrellas?”

“No, you grabbed the right thing.” They resumed walking through the parking lot, towards the hotel. “I just didn’t remember what I told you to grab.”

“Why don’t you want the umbrellas?”

“Because we’re doing the after-ceremony shots in the garden out back,” Victoria answered as she adjusted the sling on her shoulder bag. “We’re gonna be moving around a lot, and it’ll be a million times easier with that rig than it will be with the umbrellas.”

“Mm.” Lindsey smirked. “I just thought it was because you wanted to play with a new toy.”

Victoria smirked back at her. “I mean, you’re not entirely wrong.”

Lindsey laughed as they walked through the front doors of the hotel. Victoria led the way, making a beeline for the front desk. The concierge looked up as the approached, and his face brightened. “Hey, Victoria,” he greeted her.

“Morning, Mike.” She crossed her arms and leaned her elbows on the desk. “I’m here for the Franklin-Maxwell wedding.”

“Of course you are. Always here for weddings.” He adopted a disappointed look. “You never come to see me, and that hurts my feelings.”

She rolled her eyes. “Because every time I walk through the door, my disdain for the upper class grows a little more.”

“Pfft. Try working here.” He went to his computer, checking the screen. “… okay, there you are. Victoria Chase plus one assistant?”

“That’s me.”

He nodded and clicked the mouse a couple of times, and the printer beside him came to life. After a few seconds, it spat out a pair of stickers, with the words OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR printed on them in bright red. “You know the drill.”

“Yep.” She took one, handing the other to Lindsey, and they both stuck them on their shirts. “Which way to the bridal party?”

“Tenth floor, room ten-twenty-six.” He pointed towards the elevator. “Ceremony’s on the second floor, follow the signs. They’re doing the dress reveal on the grand staircase, and the reception’s out back. Oh, and watch out.”

Victoria frowned. “For what?”

“The groom’s mother’s been a real pain in the ass.” Mike rolled his eyes. “I think she’s in oil or something. She might be wearing white to the wedding, unless she lost the argument, and she’s broken out some of the gaudiest diamonds I’ve ever seen.” He glanced around, then lowered his voice. “And I’m pretty sure she’s being held together with Botox and silicone.”

Lindsey couldn’t suppress a snort, as Victoria smirked. “Lovely.”

“Hey, we only serve the best at this establishment.”

* * *

“Like this?”

Victoria nodded with a smile as the flower girl, an adorable seven-year-old named Lilly, placed her small feet into the bride’s heeled shoes. “There you go,” she encouraged. “Now, look up at the dress.”

She obeyed, looking up at the white gown that hung from the mirror in front of her.

“What do you think?” Victoria asked. “Is it pretty?”

Lilly grinned. “Yea.”

Victoria pressed the shutter button, taking several photos of the girl smiling at the dress in front of her. The lighting rig in Lindsey’s hands flashed with the camera. “Perfect!” Victoria announced, as she stood back upright. “Good job, kiddo!”

“Hear that? You did great!” Lilly’s mom and the Maid of Honor, Rebecca, exclaimed as she helped lift her daughter out of the shoes. “Why don’t you watch your show while we get ready, okay?”

“Okay!”

She ambled off to a nearby couch, picking up a tablet and slipping on a pair of headphones. Victoria quickly reviewed the photos, nodding as she scrolled through her camera. “You want to see?”

“Yes please.” Rebecca stepped behind Victoria to peek over her shoulder. “Oh, wow. You were right, that is so adorable.”

“I know. And you can show them at her wedding, too.”

“I can’t think that far ahead.” Rebecca stepped back and sat in a chair behind her. “She was still teething a few minutes ago, I swear.”

“Well, hopefully, she marries into a better family than mine.” Another bridesmaid, Sally, was applying makeup in the bathroom beside them. “I still think Abby has time to run for Mexico.”

“I love your brother!” The bride yelled from the other room. “I’m not leaving!”

“I can get you first class tickets!” Sally yelled back.

“I don’t care!”

Sally and Rebecca snickered. Victoria couldn’t help but chuckle as she adjusted the settings on her camera. “Must be a good brother,” she offered.

“Yea, he’s alright.” Sally shrugged. “It’s my mother that’ll drive everyone here to drink. Pretty sure the hotel staff is going to burn an effigy of her after we leave.”

Rebecca hummed as she sipped from a bottle of water. “By the way, Sally, if she comments on Lilly’s weight one more time?” She quickly glanced at her daughter, making sure the little girl was still wearing headphones before she lowered her voice. “I’m going to tear her fake tits off with my bare hands."

Sally shrugged. “Start with the one on the left. She’s always bitching about it hanging lower than the other.” She looked at Victoria. “You have any in-laws?”

“Not until December.” Victoria shook her head. “But I like mine.”

“Good. You should never marry someone unless you like your potential in-laws.” Sally turned back to the mirror and resuming brushing her face. “That advice would’ve saved my older brother’s first wife a lot of trouble.”

Lindsey looked confused. “This is his second wedding?”

“No, this is my younger brother who’s about to get married.” Sally sighed. “He’s still a little blind to our mom’s bullshit. My older brother refuses to be around her, which is why he isn’t here. Though if you ask my mom, it’s because he’s being immature.”

“What about your dad?”

“Oh, she killed him when we were kids.”

Victoria and Lindsey jerked their heads up. “What?!” they asked in unison.

“She did not, stop being dramatic.” Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Their dad was driving drunk and ran his truck into a tree.”

“Yea, but he was drunk because that’s the only way he could deal with my mother.”

The bride-to-be chose that moment to appear as she walked out of the other room, wrapped in a white robe. The third bridesmaid followed her, carrying a tray of makeup. “Hey,” Abby greeted them. “Can I put my dress on now?"

Victoria nodded. “Sure. But I’d like to get pictures of your bridesmaids helping you get ready first.”

“Oh, right. Where?”

“Where Sally’s standing, in front of the mirror.”

“She can hand me stuff.” The third bridesmaid, Sasha, set her tray down; it had been explained to Victoria that she was also the girls’ cosmetologist. “I’ll do your eyeliner.”

Rebecca frowned. “What about me?”

“Check and make sure her hair’s good, I guess.”

“Didn’t you just do it?”

“Hey, if you don’t want to be in the photo…”

Victoria smirked as she finished with her camera. “Come on, guys, we do have a timetable we’re supposed to adhere to.”

The four women crowded around the mirror as Victoria positioned herself so that she wouldn’t be seen in the reflection. “I thought the bride was allowed to be late,” Sasha said absently as she began working.

“That’s an urban legend.” Victoria snapped the first photo. “Only started because men can get ready for a wedding in five minutes.”

“Ugh. No kidding.” Rebecca rolled her eyes as she pretended to fuss with Abby’s hair. “Chase texted me a few minutes ago. Peter, Marcus, and Liam are already dressed. And trying to kill a case of beer before the ceremony.”

“So long as Peter can walk down the aisle in a straight line, I don’t care.” Abby kept her eyes forward as the other girls worked, Victoria continuing to take photos. “Even if he can’t, I’ll settle for him being sober enough to sign the license.”

“We really need to talk about this low bar you’re setting,” Sasha retorted. “Including your tolerance for toxic in-laws.”

“If dealing with that woman means I get to marry Peter, then I’ll grit my teeth and bear it.” Abby sighed, her eyes flicking to Sally. “… you did get her to agree on a different dress, right?”

“No, she refused. Don’t worry, though, I snatched the white one from her closet while she was asleep.” Sally smirked. “It’s in the trunk of my car as we speak.”

“Good. Then I can deal with her bitchiness for a few hours.”

“Peter really doesn’t know how lucky he is,” Sally lamented as she handed Sasha a makeup pencil. “That you’re willing to put up with our mother, I mean. I’ve told you that she’s-”

“Chased off three other girlfriends, and five of your older brother’s, including one wife.” Abby drummed her fingers on the counter. “I remember. And the sweater she ruined with wine when I met her, the backhanded compliments, the nine occasions on which I was called a gold-digger, and the fifty thousand dollars she offered me to ghost her son.”

Lindsey raised her eyebrows. “… fifty thousand dollars?”

“Yea, after he proposed.” She smirked. “Oh, and she would’ve made sure I kept the ring, as a consolation prize.”

“She sounds…” Victoria paused. “Sweet.”

Rebecca snorted. “Yea, sweet in a way that’ll rot the teeth from your head.”

* * *

“Man, I thought my family was bad.”

Victoria looked at Lindsey, as the two of them waited near the top of the stairs. It was almost time for the dress reveal, and they were on the second floor, near the top of the hotel’s grand staircase. “You’re talking about the mom?”

“Yea.” Lindsey shifted the lighting rig in her hands. “I mean, God, how terrible does a woman have to be for her daughter to try and convince her brother’s fiancé to run for Mexico? On their wedding day, no less?”

“Pretty bad,” Victoria agreed. “I’ve seen some real winners, since I started shooting weddings. But I’ve never actually seen someone else trying to wear white before now. I never thought anyone would actually be that crass.”

“Me either.” Lindsey looked at her. “Real winners, huh?”

“Oh, yes.” Victoria smirked. “I mean, the ones you’ve helped me on have been pretty tame. And most of them are, honestly. But I did one wedding where the bride got so drunk she actually started making out with another bridesmaid during the reception.”

Lindsey’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Tongue and everything. That was how the groom and his ultra-catholic family found out the bridesmaid was her ex-girlfriend. You want to talk about the definition of a shitshow, that was it.” She shook her head. “There was another one, where the Best Man-”

Her phone interrupted her with a text notification. “Oh. Hang on,” she muttered as she started digging for her phone. As she pulled it out and brought it up, she bumped into the bulky camera hanging from her neck, wincing at the noise; she’d hit it harder than she would’ve liked. “Oops.”

“You want me to hold that?”

“Yea, just for a second.” Victoria took it off and handed it to Lindsey, who balanced it with the lighting rig in her other hand. “Let me just answer this real quick, before-”

“Hey! You!”

Victoria turned to see a woman who was clearly in her late fifties, but was taking great pains to make herself look twenty years younger. Between the fake tan, huge diamond earrings, large pearl necklace, and an inexplicably smooth face, Victoria surmised that it was the mother of the groom she hadn’t met yet. “Yes?” she asked politely.

“The family is ready for their photos,” the woman said disdainfully, as she pointed down the stairs. “Come on, let’s go.”

“I’m afraid there’s been a miscommunication.” Victoria lowered her phone. “We aren’t taking family photos until after the-”

“Ex-CUSE you,” the woman snapped. “I’m not here to get corrected by the hired help. I’m paying you, which means I’m in charge.”

Victoria bristled at being referred to as ‘hired help’. “I’m afraid YOU’RE mistaken, ma’am,” she countered, keeping her tone as civil as possible. “I’ve been hired by the bride and groom, not you.”

“MY money is still paying for you. Now, get a move on and-”

“Your name is not on the top of my contract. And we have an agreed-upon schedule.”

“Do NOT talk back to me, young lady!” The woman’s face was beginning to flush. “We’re ready for the family photos NOW!”

“Then you’ll still be ready for them later.” Victoria put her phone away. “We’re waiting for the bride so we can shoot the dress reveal. The family photos will be taken after the ceremony.”

“The bride can wait!”

“Maybe, but she’s not going to.” Victoria pointed. “I need you to move. You’re in our way.”

“Don’t you DARE presume to give me orders!” The woman stepped close, before shaking her finger in front of Victoria’s nose. “Do you have any idea who I am?!”

“No.” Victoria shrugged. “But if you’re confused, I’m sure someone here can help you.”

Lindsey made the smallest of amused noises, as the woman’s face reddened further. “How DARE you-”

“The family photos will be taken after the ceremony, and not ONE second before,” Victoria interrupted sternly. “That is not up for debate or discussion. You need to move out of our way.”

“I will NOT take orders from the help!”

“Then we’ll work around you. But the family photos aren’t going to happen until I say so.” Victoria turned back to Lindsey. “I’ll take the camera back n-”

“Hey!” Victoria felt boney fingers on her shoulder, before she was forcefully spun around, back toward the groom’s mother. “DO NOT turn your back on-”

“No!” Victoria threw the woman’s hand off her shoulder. “Do NOT touch me!” she snapped. “I don’t give a SHIT who you-”

Before she could react, the woman reached out and shoved her. Victoria stumbled over her feet, and her hand reflexively shot out behind her, grabbing for the handrail.

She missed, grasping at the air, and instead fell straight into Lindsey. Her assistant yelped as Victoria’s body slammed her against the railing. And Victoria watched, from the corner of her eye, as both the camera and the lighting rig tumbled from Lindsey’s hands.

“NO!!” Victoria yelled as she spun, clawing for the straps. One fingernail managed to graze the fabric strap of the camera as it dropped no less than twelve feet, the lighting rig right behind it. She watched, almost in slow-motion, as they both smashed into the marble floor below.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” She whipped her head around and screamed right in the woman’s face. “HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FUCKING MIND?!”

“POLICE!” The groom’s mother screamed back. “Someone call the police! She just assaulted me!”

Victoria ignored the woman as she shoved past her, flying down the stairs two at a time.

* * *

The lighting rig was possibly salvageable.

Lindsey gathered it up as fast as she could, with shaking hands. A few of the plastic brackets had broken, leaving the LED lights hanging by their wires. But the metal frame seemed to be intact, as were the lights themselves. The power supply case had cracked, leaving the lithium battery hanging by a pair of wires, but it was also replaceable.

The camera was not so lucky. Victoria knelt on the ground, needing both hands to gather up the pieces. The lens glass had shattered, having been snapped right out of the bracket; the case had broken open, exposing the internal electronics; and the screen was cracked beyond visibility, so much that Victoria couldn’t make out anything. The camera didn’t even light up when she tried to turn it back on.

“I’m sorry,” Lindsey gasped breathlessly. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry Victoria, I’m so sorry…”

Victoria didn’t acknowledge her, as she stood with what was left of her camera. She could barely hear the commotion behind her.

“Call the police! That woman pushed me!”

“No, she didn’t, miss.” Mike’s voice was stern. “YOU assaulted HER.”

“I did NOT-”

“I was watching from my desk. And the whole thing is on our security cameras.”

“That bitch slapped at me!”

“In self-defense, after you grabbed her. I suggest you take a seat.”

“I tried. I tried to hang onto it, I swear.” Lindsey’s eyes were wide with shock and alarm, barely restrained emotion in her voice. “I’m sorry, Victoria, I’m-”

“It’s not your fault,” Victoria said hollowly, as she looked at the broken camera. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Mom!” She heard a new voice from behind her. “What the hell is going on?!”

“Peter! That BITCH you hired to take pictures assaulted me!”

“No, sir, she did not. Your mother pushed her and her assistant.”

“You better shut the FUCK up and stop slandering me, you little-”

“Are you kidding me?! Mom!”

“Don’t you DARE take his side! I am your MOTHER!!”

They continued to yell as Victoria took a deep breath. “Are you alright?” she asked Lindsey quietly.

She nodded, her face still ashen.

“Okay.” Victoria turned to Mike, who met her gaze. “Are our bags still behind the counter?”

“They are.”

“Any chance I can get a copy of the security footage? I’ll need it for my insurance.”

“Here.” He produced a business card from his pocket. “Give my name to your claim handler. If they make a request, I’ll give him the footage. And her contact info,” he added, nodding at the mother. “So they know where to serve the lawsuit.”

“-not my… what?!!” Victoria didn’t look at the groom’s mother, as she seemed to hear what Mike had said. “What the fuck did you just say?!”

“Thank you.” Victoria looked at Lindsey. “Grab our stuff. We’re leaving.”

“Wha- hey!” the groom protested, as he stood beside his pissed-off mother. “Where are you going?”

“Back to my studio,” Victoria retorted. “To call my insurance company. And then probably to the police station, to file a report.”

“But our wedding is in thirty minutes! You’re supposed to be taking pictures!”

“With WHAT?!” Victoria demanded, as she held up her destroyed camera. “And if you think for a SECOND that I’m going to stay here after my assistant and I were assaulted, you’re out of your mind!”

A desperate look came over Peter’s face. “But we already paid you!”

“You’re gonna be paying me a lot more by the time they process my claim.” Victoria turned back around to see Lindsey stepping back around the counter with their bags. “Enjoy your wedding.”

“FINE!” his mother screamed, as they walked away. “We’re getting a new photographer who isn’t a BITCH! And you’ll NEVER work in this city AGAIN!!”

Victoria didn’t bother looking over her shoulder as she shoved her way into the parking lot.


	22. Making it Right

Lindsey was silent as they walked to the car, and she helped Victoria load everything back up. They spent a few minutes carefully re-packing the lighting rig in its hard case, before Victoria unceremoniously dumped the broken camera back into its foam-padded bag.

“I’m sorry,” Lindsey whispered as they got in, closing the doors behind them.

“It’s not your fault.” Victoria blew air out her nostrils evenly, as she tried to lower her blood pressure. Her pulse was still racing in anger, though she managed to keep her voice level. “Don’t worry, their check has already cleared. I’m still gonna pay you.”

“… thank you.” Lindsey licked her lips as they buckled their seat belts. “Are you… gonna be okay? Without the camera?”

“I’ll be fine. It’s replaceable. And I think I can fix the lighting rig.”

“You can buy another one?”

“I will once I call my insurance carrier.” Victoria started her car and backed out of the spot, then turned towards the hotel, where the parking lot exit was. “I have coverage for exactly this sort of thing. I’ll make a claim, and when they see the footage, they’ll pay for some new equipment.”

“They will?”

“Yep. And then they’ll probably sue that bitch on my behalf.” Victoria smirked. “She looked like she could afford it.”

“Oh.” Lindsey exhaled slowly, as she sank into her seat. “… I’m still sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry for.” Victoria took the turn. “Unfortunately, when it comes to shooting weddings, asshole family members are part of the-”

As they began to pass the hotel entrance, she saw a flash of pink as a bridesmaid ran into their path. “SHIT!!” Lindsey yelped, as Victoria slammed on the brakes.

The tires squealed as the car skidded, finally stopping ten feet or so from Sasha, who was still waving her arms. “WAIT!!” she was calling desperately. “Waitwaitwaitwait!”

“You have got to be fucking…” Victoria jammed her finger on the window button, and the glass smoothly rolled down. “Are you out of your mind?!” she yelled. “I almost hit you!”

“Wait! Please!” Sasha ran around to the driver’s window, grabbing the roof of the car as she gasped for air; it sounded like she’d been sprinting. “Please, please don’t go yet. We want to work something out, please.”

“There is nothing for us to work out,” Victoria fumed. “I will not shoot a wedding that I’ve just been assaulted at, I don’t care what the groom says.”

“Don’t do it for that idiot,” Sasha begged. “Abby heard what happened, and she’s in tears. Literally sobbing her eyes out, because of what that bitch did. She’s heartbroken that there won’t be any pictures of her wedding day.”

“I’m sorry, I really am, but that is not my problem,” Victoria informed her. “And besides, even if I WAS interested, I don’t have a camera anymore.”

“We’ll figure it out. We’ll find a way to make it right.” Sasha clasped her hands in front of her face. “Please, I’m begging you. Come back inside for Abby. We want to work something out, I swear.”

Victoria took a slow breath, as she considered. After a few seconds, she glanced at Lindsey. “You have a driver’s license, right?”

She nodded.

“Wait in front of the hotel.” Victoria put the car in Park. “And keep the engine running.”

* * *

“From what I can tell, Miss Chase, you don’t have a choice.”

Victoria stood with her arms crossed in front of one of the groomsmen, a taller gentleman who was already dressed in a tuxedo. A small group of people stood behind him, including what looked like the other groomsmen, a few female guests, and Peter. His mother was lounging on a couch behind the group, smirking indifferently. “Is that right?” she asked.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Beside her, Sasha glared daggers at the groomsman. “I didn’t jump in front of a moving car for you to try lawyering her, Marcus.”

“These are simple facts.” He folded his arms, mirroring Victoria. “You’ve been contracted to provide a service, for which you’ve already been paid in full. If you don’t provide said service, you’ll be in a very actionable position.”

“Thanks for explaining my job to me. Are you done?”

Marcus paused, noting that Victoria didn’t seem intimidated. “… yes.”

“Good.” She retrieved her phone and taped the screen. “Here’s the contract Abby and Peter signed. You should read paragraph nineteen.”

He accepted the phone, scrolling until he found the paragraph in question. Victoria watched his lips move as he read to himself quietly. “… huh,” he said as he finished. “That’s a handy little clause.”

“Thank you.”

“What?” Peter pressed. “What kind of clause?”

“It covers the assault of her, or an employee of hers, by wedding guests.” Marcus handed the phone back. “In that eventuality, she has the option to terminate her services and walk away at her discretion. While keeping the money she earned to that point.”

“She does?”

“Yep.” He turned to the groom and shrugged. “Sorry. You’re screwed.”

“Fine.” Peter appeared to be getting agitated. “Then we’ll take the refund and find a new photographer. She just got here, so we should get most of it back.”

“You can argue that in court, but you’re going to lose.” Marcus shook his head. “Especially with a destroyed camera. They’ll deduct it from the cost to replace her equipment.”

“Besides, you’ve got a better chance of having a snowball fight in hell then finding a photographer to shoot a wedding in thirty minutes.” Victoria informed him, then turned to Sasha. “I’m sorry we couldn’t make this work. I’m leaving now."

“Wait, wait, hang on.” Sasha stepped around her and pointed at Peter. “Enough of being a little weasel. Fucking fix this.”

Peter sighed. “Look, it won’t happen again, all right?”

“You’re right, it won’t. Because I’m not going to be here.”

“But you can’t just leave!”

“I’m pretty sure you just heard your friend say that I can,” she countered. “And by the way, everyone here is forgetting the small matter of my NO LONGER HAVING A CAMERA.”

“There’s a Best Buy a couple of blocks away!” Peter offered desperately. “I’ll go buy you a new one!”

“HA!” Victoria barked a laugh. “That was not a camera you can get at Best Buy. That was a Nikon D5 DSLR that retails for no less than five grand.”

Peter’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s… cameras don’t cost that much.”

“Professional-grade cameras do. The lighting rig was another two thousand on top of that.”

“But… can’t you just borrow one from another photographer?”

“You’re assuming that they’d help out a competitor, and that they’d have one available on a Saturday morning, when their studios are at their busiest.” Victoria looked at Sasha. “Please apologize to Abby for me.”

“No- hey!” Peter objected, as she turned to leave. “You can’t just-”

“SHUT. UP.”

Everyone stopped at the power that emanated from the demand, as Sally stormed into the lobby. She had a flat and even look on her face, but Victoria could sense the infuriation and anger simmering behind it.

She stalked straight up to Peter and stuck a finger in his face. “You, little brother, are five seconds away from not getting married today,” she bit out. “So I suggest-”

“But-”

“NO.” She barked out the word like a drill sergeant, and Peter wilted in front of her. “This is not the part where you talk. This is the part where you shut the fuck up and listen. Understood?”

He nodded meekly.

“Good. Now, let me be very clear when I say that for some reason, Abby is willing to put up with a lot of our mother’s shit. From calling her a gold-digging whore, to offering fifty grand to leave you, to-”

“Hey!!” Their mother finally spoke up, getting off the chair and running up to Sally and Peter. “I don’t know what that little tramp has told you, but I didn’t-”

Sally didn’t even look, as she planted a hand on her mother’s face and shoved. The older woman stumbled back, sputtering, as Sally continued. “That girl, for some reason known but to her, still fucking loves you,” she continued. “But she has agreed to finally draw the fucking line at that woman ruining your wedding day.”

“But… she-”

“Still not time for you to talk yet.” Sally produced her phone and held it out. “What do I have pulled up here, Sasha?”

The other bridesmaid took the phone and checked the screen, her eyebrows shooting up. “Um… first-class tickets to Cabo. Leaving tonight. For Abby, and all the bridesmaids.”

“You have two choices, Peter.” Sally folded her arms. “You can still walk down the aisle and get married today. But if you still want to do that?” She pointed at their mother. “Then she leaves. And she doesn’t come back.”

“What the HELL do you think you’re doing?!” their mother yelled. “I am your MOTHER!!”

“Not talking to you.” Sally kept her eyes on Peter. “Well?”

“But…” Peter seemed at a loss for words. “… she’s our mom.”

“Fine.” Sally glanced at the bridesmaid. “Sasha, purchase the tickets. We’ll buy luggage on the way to the airport.”

“NO!” Peter flung a hand towards the other bridesmaid as she got ready to tap the screen. “Wait!”

“Make your choice,” Sally demanded. “You can make things right and get married, or you can run back to mommy.”

“Sweetie, sweetie listen to me.” Their mother laid a hand on his shoulder, as she started whisper-shouting. “That little tramp is no good for you anyway. All she wants is your money, and she’ll be gone as soon as she has it. I am your mother, and I will ALWAYS be there for you. You do NOT need to throw your life away for that little gold-digging whore.”

Victoria stood frozen, unable to look away. Everyone stared at Peter as he wrestled with himself, staring off into space.

After several moments, he sighed and looked at his mother. “… Mom, I think it’s best if you go.”

“WHAT?!” she screamed so loud that Victoria flinched. “You’re choosing that BITCH over your own mother?! She’s going to-”

“Security!” Victoria jumped as she looked at Mike, who’d she forgotten was there. He waved towards a pair of large security guards who’d been lurking near the desk. “This woman is no longer invited to the wedding, and needs to be removed from the premises immediately.”

“THE FUCK I WILL!!”

“Ma’am, you need to come with us-”

“DO NOT TOUCH ME!!”

Victoria watched, astonished, as the security guards began gently guiding the screaming woman out. Peter refused to look at her as she argued, begged, pleaded, and shrieked at the two guards, using insults Victoria was pretty sure were peeling paint from the walls. As soon as she refused to move, they both took an elbow and began dragging her. The screams sounded all the way into the parking lot, where they eventually faded.

“Hey.” She blinked as Sally snapped her fingers in front of Peter’s face, getting his attention back. “You’re not done yet.”

“Huh?”

“Victoria.” Sally turned to her. “I overheard that you were using a really good camera that can’t be replaced on short notice. Is that true?”

She nodded numbly. “Pretty much.”

“Can you find something at Best Buy that will work?”

“… maybe,” she allowed. “But I’m telling you right now, it won’t be cheap.”

“Okay.” Sally turned back to Peter. “Unless you want to tell Abby that there won’t be any photos of your wedding? I STRONGLY suggest that you negotiate a new contract. One that includes the replacement of all Victoria’s equipment, because she still has every right to leave you hanging.”

His shoulders sagged in defeat, as Peter turned to face her. “… how much will it take for you to still shoot our wedding?” he asked quietly.

Victoria inhaled deeply. “Because I like your fiancé, I am willing to restart a brand-new contract,” she agreed. “Contingent on three things.”

“What?”

She held up one finger. “You agree to replace the camera and lighting rig that your mother broke. Whether you get her to pay you back or not is your problem.” The second finger went up. “That camera won’t get here for at least a week. So if you want your wedding shot, I need equipment now. Which means we go to Best Buy and get it all, on YOUR dime.”

He nodded. “And three?”

“Cut the cord and quit being a momma’s boy.” Victoria glared at him. “Otherwise, you’re gonna have a real short marriage.”

“Truer words are hardly spoken.” Sally looked at Peter. “Well?”

He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “… fine.”

“Smart boy.” Sally held out her hand. “Gimme your credit card.”

Victoria watched Peter pull out his wallet and produce a black credit card that looked just like hers. _Shit,_ she thought, as Sally took it. _I should’ve asked for more money._

“Now, go finish that case of beer with your buddies. Sasha, Abby’s eyeliner and mascara need fixing.” Sally looked at Victoria. “Come on. Let’s go shopping.”

* * *

The Prius was right where she’d left it, when Victoria and Sally left the building. Lindsey had wide eyes as they got in, Victoria buckling into the passenger seat as Sally climbed into the back. “What the hell is going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“Those security guards dragged that woman right off the property.” Lindsey pointed behind her. “She was screaming louder than anything I’ve ever heard. What happened in there?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re back on the clock.” Victoria rubbed her hand down her face, sighing heavily. “Head out and turn left. We need to get to Best Buy, quickly.”

Sally adjusted herself so she was comfortable. “Thank you, by the way,” she said sincerely. “You’re really saving my brother’s ass here, and I know you don’t need to.”

“Yea, well.” Victoria paused. “Your brother needs to grow a spine.”

“I know. This was a step in the right direction, at least.” Sally held her phone towards the front of the car. “Here. Find a website that sells your camera, and that rig of yours.”

“Why?”

“I’m gonna buy it now, before our mother gets over her temper tantrum and thinks about trying to shut off Peter’s credit card.”

Victoria blinked. “She can do that?”

“Technically, no. Our portion of dad’s company shares transferred to us when we graduated college, so it’s OUR money, not hers.” Sally paused. “But she’s gotten them to do it before. You might’ve noticed that she gets most things done through volume.”

“… ah ha.” Victoria accepted the phone. “I have a fourth condition, then, where I’m getting paid up-front. And in cash.”

“Probably a good call. We’ll find an ATM on the way back.”

* * *

“… wow.”

Victoria smirked, as she reclined on the couch later that evening. Max was in the love seat, watching her with wide eyes as she recounted the story. “I know. Craziest contract ever.”

“I’ll say.” She leaned forward. “What happened when you got back?”

“Nothing exciting. Everyone had calmed down by then.” Victoria shrugged. “We were able to make the Best Buy camera work. Abby walked down the aisle forty-five minutes late, they got married, I took photos, everyone got nice and drunk at the reception, and I made an extra three hundred bucks.”

“Three hundred bucks?”

“Yep.” She smiled widely. “And I get to keep the Best Buy camera, because Abby felt bad about her new mother-in-law breaking mine.”

Max frowned. “Even though a new one is already in the mail?”

“Hey, I offered to let them keep it. Her husband did pay almost fifteen hundred bucks for it.” She shook her head. “He wasn’t interested. I think he was trying to be extra-nice, to get back into Abby’s good graces.”

“Whatever works, I suppose. What are you going to do with it?”

“Use it as a spare, probably.” She paused. “Though Lindsey has been showing a lot of interest in what I do. If I can get her proficient with the camera, I might hire her as a second photographer instead of just an assistant.”

“Mm.” Max looked up in thought. “She’d probably appreciate that.”

“I thought so.”

“And… speaking of helping Lindsey.” Max hesitated. “… I thought about something.”

“You did?”

She nodded. “Something you mentioned about her was bugging me,” she admitted. “So… I did a little Googling earlier today, while I was having lunch.”

Victoria watched Max retrieve her phone. “Googling… what, exactly?”

“Here. Take a look at this.”

* * *

**Lindsey:** Um… you paid me too much.

 **Victoria:** No I didn’t.

 **Lindsey:** You sent me $300. Not $150.

 **Victoria:** I split the extra cash we got from the new contract. Call it an added bonus for having to deal with that bitch.

 **Lindsey:** You didn’t have to do that!

 **Victoria:** Eh. That was basically free money, plus I got another camera. I figure splitting it with you is just good karma.

 **Victoria:** Speaking of which, I want you to watch this.

 **Victoria:** <photography_101.youtube>

 **Lindsey:** Why?

 **Victoria:** I might want to use you as another photographer, for some of the gigs I’ve got coming up. That video will explain some of the basic ideas behind using a DSLR camera.

 **Victoria:** Unless you don’t want to?

 **Lindsey:** Does it come with a raise?

 **Victoria:** I can up my rates for having another photographer. So, yes, I’d pay you more.

 **Lindsey:** Then I resolve to be an EXPERT by the next wedding.

 **Victoria:** Loving the enthusiasm.

* * *

**Victoria:** Do you, by chance, know anyone in oil?

 **Dad:** A few people. Why?

 **Victoria:** Does the last name Maxwell ring any bells?

 **Dad:** As in Maxwell Industries?

 **Victoria:** I assume so. You ever done business with them?

 **Dad:** A couple of times. We’ve helped them with some import-export business in Alaska. Why do you ask?

 **Victoria:** I think I had a run-in with the owner this weekend.

 **Dad:** Oh?

 **Victoria:** Yea. She got mad that I wouldn’t adjust my timetable for her, so she shoved me into a railing, and sent my camera and a brand-new lighting rig off a second-floor balcony.

 **Dad:** … is the owner in question a blonde woman of low patience and high volume?

 **Victoria:** Yep, that’s her.

 **Dad:** Ah. She isn’t the owner. She’s the widow of their founder, Larry Maxwell. I’ve only met her once, and that was enough.

 **Dad:** The Maxwell board of directors does everything in their power to keep her away from the business. They’re very happy paying her to stay far, far away from any of their ventures.

 **Victoria:** So, she doesn’t actually do anything.

 **Dad:** No. While she does still own part of the company, it isn’t a large share. She controls ten percent, with an additional five percent going to each of their children.

 **Victoria:** Doesn’t seem like much.

 **Dad:** It’s oil. Trust me, it’s more than enough to make them all fairly wealthy.

 **Dad:** Do you want to talk to our lawyers, about getting your stuff replaced?

 **Victoria:** No. I already took care of it.

 **Victoria:** Please just tell me she’s not on the wedding guest list.

 **Dad:** She is not. Like I said, dealing with her once was enough.


	23. Warren

**June 29 th, 2024**

“… I’m sorry.”

Brooke sat on the chair, rubbing her hands together as she kept her eyes on her knees. Her tone of voice was very contrite, as she spoke slowly. “You were right,” she admitted. “I have a-”

“Pick your head up,” Max told her. “You’re owning up to what you’ve done. You need to look him in the eye, so he knows you’re sincere.”

She complied, lifting her head. The two of them were in Max’s office, Brooke sitting across from her as she rehearsed what she was going to say. “I have a problem,” she continued quietly. “I’m sorry I kept saying that I don’t. And for lying to you about it.”

Brooke took a shaky breath before continuing. “And for what happened at the hospital. For stealing those pills and costing you the spot on Doctor Collins’ team.” She swallowed. “I can’t tell you how much I regret what I cost you. And I’ll spend the rest of my life wishing that I could take it all back.”

“And?” Max prodded.

“And… I know just saying that doesn’t make everything okay.” Brooke licked her lips. “I don’t expect you to accept my apology and forgive me. But… I swear, I want to do better. Max helped me find a Narcotics Anonymous chapter near our apartment; I already called and spoke to them about getting a sponsor.”

She sighed heavily. “I know I’ve already lost my job at the hospital. But I love you, and I don’t want to lose you, too,” she added. “You have every reason to be mad at me. I’ll do whatever you want to make things right.”

Brooke sniffed. “And… if you still don’t want to want to be married, then I’ll, uh… I’ll sign the divorce papers.”

“You need to accept that he might still want to,” Max told her gently.

“I know.” Brooke dropped her gaze again. “… but I don’t want to. I really don’t.”

“I understand.” Max nodded. “I think it was good.”

“Thanks.” She nodded, keeping her head down. “You’ve been talking to him. Do you… what do you think he’ll say?”

Max took a slow breath, letting it out as she considered her answer. “I’m honestly not sure,” she admitted. “I think he has cooled down, since you got here. But your behavior towards him was still pretty terrible, Brooke. Not to mention how you affected his career.”

“… yea.” Brooke picked at her fingernails. “I guess I should just be glad that he’s coming at all.”

“Do you really think you’ve lost your job?”

“Hundred percent.” She looked back up, nodding studiously. “Between failing a drug test, and stealing prescription meds from a dead patient, I don’t even know if they’ll let me in the building. HR might do my exit interview in the parking lot.”

Max winced. “… I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

“What will you do?”

“I’m not sure.” Brooke bit her lip. “My only saving grace is probably that, officially, it never happened. If the hospital told people, and it got out that they covered it up, there would be a HUGE backlash. So if they let me resign, I can try and find work at a private practice; there are a couple of pretty good ones nearby.”

“Sounds like a decent plan.”

“Best I could come up with.”

Max’s phone buzzed, and she quickly checked the screen. “Steph’s group is in five minutes.”

“Okay.” Brooke stood, Max following her. “Did Warren say when he’s getting here?”

“Noon. Though I guess the exact time will depend on the traffic.” Max opened her office door. “Don’t stress about it, Brooke. It won’t do you any good.”

She snorted as she left. “Yea. Right.”

* * *

**June 30 th, 2024**

“… I don’t know.”

Max tilted her head, as she sat across from Warren. The two of them were at a nearby diner, eating breakfast before they went to the rehab center. She absorbed his answer to the question of how mad he was at his wife. “…I suppose that’s fair,” she allowed. “You haven’t spoken to her since she got here.”

“Yea.” He poked at his eggs aimlessly before looking at Max. “Sometimes I feel bad about not calling her. Or blocking her number. Then I remember what she did, and what I lost, and that feeling just… goes away.”

She nodded sympathetically. “You’re sure you lost the spot because of her?”

“Yes.” Warren heaved a sigh. “Doctor Collins was going to make the official decision later that week. But between getting drug tested, and the investigation… it would’ve looked inappropriate if he had, I suppose,” he allowed. “He did find me later. Told me to keep studying and working. And that he was looking forward to seeing my application with next year’s considerations. So, there’s that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” He took a quick bite of his food. “… how is she?”

“She’s… better, I suppose.”

“I thought you said addicts don’t get better.”

“No, I said addicts don’t get CURED,” Max emphasized. “But they can develop healthy coping mechanisms and mindsets. Brooke has made a lot of progress since she got here; she’s accepted the fact that she does have a problem, and wants to make a real effort to get better.”

Warren hummed, looking out the window. “And all it took was divorce papers.”

“That was a pretty big wake-up call,” Max allowed.

“I bet.”

“Can I ask how serious you are about separating?”

He heaved a sigh. “If you’d asked me a couple of weeks ago, I would’ve been dead-set for it. Now… hell. I still kind-of want to.” He looked at her. “Why, are you going to try and convince me otherwise?”

“No.” Max’s answer was immediate. “Brooke made her choices, and now she has to deal with the consequences. Also, you were right when you said that I have no idea how the past few months have been for you. If you want to end your marriage, I’m not gonna try and talk you out of it.”

“But what do you THINK?”

Max didn’t answer right away. She took a long sip of her coffee, considering her response, Warren watching her as she finished and set the mug down. “I think that the Brooke you’re going to meet today is not the same woman you dropped off at the airport,” she finally stated. “I’m still not going to tell you not to divorce her. All I’ll say is that you should reserve judgement.”

“… right.” He leaned back in his seat. “Okay. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“I understand. What do you want to talk about?”

“We can talk about you.” He allowed a smirk to cross his face, the first one Max had seen since his arrival. “And how I still can’t fathom that you’re marrying Victoria Chase.”

She cracked her own smirk. “Is it so crazy?”

“Max, when I found out, I couldn’t stop laughing.” He shook his head. “It took me a few days to wrap my head around it. One of the nicest people I’ve ever met, marrying a walking case of narcissism? I mean, come on.”

“She’s not like that anymore,” Max said defensively.

“I’ve heard.” Warren shook his head. “I’m sorry, I just can’t get the memory of her from Blackwell out of my head.”

“You should meet her again. I think she’d enjoy catching up.” Max paused. “Actually, do you want a wedding invite?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Hey, why not? Her family’s paying for everything, so you can enjoy a super-fancy party at the foot of Mount Rainier. Are you free on December fourteenth?”

“… mmm. That does sound appealing.” He hesitated. “I’d like to. I just… don’t know where I’ll be in six months.”

“Well, I’ll have the planner send you an invitation. You’re still welcome to show up, by yourself or with a plus-one. And if you don’t, I won’t think anything of it.”

“Okay.” He nodded. “Thanks, Max.”

“No problem.”

* * *

They got to the rehab center an hour or so later. Max led the way inside, holding the door for Warren.

“What do I say?” he asked, as they made their way to the third floor. “When I see her, I mean.”

“Let her talk first,” Max said as she led the way to the conference room. “She’s got a lot to say.”

With that, she opened the door. Brooke was already there, sitting down and leaning on the table as she itched at her fingers nervously. She looked up and stood as Max let Warren in, then closed the door behind them.

Much as she wanted to stay and eavesdrop, she walked towards the other side of the building. Then stood at the railing, watching, for over an hour.

_Fuck._ Her gut twisted as she looked at the door. She stained her hearing, imagining that she could hear their discussion. _Man, I almost wish I was in there to rewind._

_Maybe I wouldn’t have to. Brooke seemed pretty contrite._

“There’s a metaphor here, about a watched pot never boiling.”

Max sighed, as Jerry took a spot beside her. “I know.”

“This is Brooke’s struggle.” He folded his hands “You did a great job getting her where she is. And helping her prepare for what’s probably going to be the hardest discussion of her life. But you can’t help her any further.”

“I know that, too. I can still be worried for her, right?”

“She’s your friend, of course you can. But doing a poor job of spying on them isn’t going to change whatever happens.”

“I’m not spying. I’m just…” her voice trailed off, as she stared at the door. “I want to know what’s going to happen.”

“Oh, I know what’s going to happen.”

She glanced at Jerry. “Do you now?”

“Yes. Her husband’s going to come out of that room, and he’s going to leave. She’ll get a ride to the airport tomorrow, and then they’ll both be back in California.”

Max rolled her eyes. “And the sun will rise in the morning, followed by the moon at night.”

“That’s correct. And you know what all those things have in common?”

“Nothing I can say or do will change what happens. You remember that I’m a counselor too, right?”

He smirked. “I know. I’m trying to show that I’m your intellectual equal.”

“I’ve never questioned that.”

“Even though you have a Master’s, while I’m just a lowly undergrad?”

“And yet, here we are, both making the same amount of money.”

Jerry couldn’t help but chuckle. “Come on. Let’s-”

The door across from them finally opened. Max jerked her head up as Warren walked out, quietly closing the door behind him. “In a minute,” she said hurriedly to Jerry before she pushed herself upright and made her way around.

She caught up with him as he got to the top of the stairs. “Hey, Max,” he greeted her, sounding tired.

“Well?”

“Well.” He ran his hands through his hair. “… you were right. She is different.”

“Different…” She tried to judge his expression, but his face gave nothing away. “Good? Bad?”

“Better, for sure.”

“Does that mean you’re still going to…”

Warren sighed, looking away. He didn’t speak for several seconds. “… I don’t know,” he finally admitted. “I’ll… see, I guess.”

She wanted to press him for details. Actually, what Max really wanted to do was grab his collar and shake information out of him. But she willed herself to stay put, as she nodded. “Okay, then.”

“Yea. I’m, uh, gonna go. It’s a long drive back to California.” He paused. “… thanks, Max. For everything.”

“Of course.”

* * *

Brooke was still in her chair, when Max got back to the conference room. She sat stoically, staring out the window towards the highway. Max closed the door gently, then took the seat beside Brooke and waited patiently.

“… we agreed to counseling.”

Max let out a slow breath, as Brooke kept her eyes on the window. “That’s good,” she allowed. “A step in the right direction.”

“I guess.” Brooke licked her lips. “He was, uh, still a little angry. Like you said he’d be. But he said we could try to work on things, if I actually went to NA.”

“You are, though.”

“Yea.” She finally looked at Max. “… he wants to move out of the apartment.”

“Mm.” Max leaned back in her seat. “Well, you know, a separation isn’t the worst-”

“He can’t, though,” Brooke interrupted. “Housing where we live is expensive, even for doctors. And I’m about to lose my job, so we’re not going to be able to afford apartments for both of us. He’s gonna move to the couch.”

“He is?”

She nodded. “I told him I would. That I fucked up, and I should be the one moving. But he insisted.”

“… okay.” Max smiled. “Hey, I know it’s not perfect. But it’s something.”

“I guess.” Brooke looked back at the window. “At least I have a chance to pay my penance to him, if not the hospital.”

Max bit her lip and didn’t say anything.

* * *

“Sounds like it worked out. The best it would’ve, anyway.”

Max nodded as she searched her desk drawers. “Yea, probably.”

“I mean, I really didn’t think she would still have a husband when she left,” Steph continued. She was laying on Max’s couch, her arms folded behind her head as she looked towards the ceiling. “I would’ve put a paycheck on them still divorcing.”

“I remember. Ninety-ten odds.” Max closed a drawer and moved onto the next one, pawing through paperwork. “I probably would’ve taken that bet, too.”

“Would’ve been smart money.” Steph picked up her head. “What are you doing, anyway? You lose your pen again?”

“Ha ha. No, I haven’t lost my pen.”

“Then why are you tearing apart your desk?”

“I’m looking for an old notebook. I know it’s- ah, there it is.” She pulled out a black notebook, dropping it on her desk as she closed the drawer. “Finally.”

Steph swung her feet around, sitting upright. “Why?”

“There’s a number in here I never got around to putting in my phone.” Max flipped the notebook open, towards the back, and rifled through a few pages before a business card fell out. “There you are.”

“Whose number is it?”

Max looked at her and held up the card. “This is someone who might be able to keep Brooke from losing her job.”

Steph did a double take. “Wait, for real?”

“Yea.” Max paused. “And… I don’t know if I should call them or not.”

“Why? What’s your concern?”

“Do you think it’s appropriate?”

Steph took a few seconds to answer. “As her addiction counselor… maybe not,” she allowed. “That kind of blurs some boundaries, ethically speaking.”

“I know.”

“As a friend…” Steph bit the inside of her cheek. “Shit. Yea, I would. Unless that’s a favor you don’t want to lose.”

“Not really.” Max looked at the card, noting its weight and the title. “It’s not like that, though. He did say if he could ever help, I could call him. Said he owed me that much. But I have no idea if even he could fix something like this.”

“What’d you do for him?”

“Something I’m bound by an NDA from discussing.”

Steph smirked. “So you got his kid clean.”

“Maybe.” Max inhaled slowly. “… screw it. I’m calling.”

“You sure?”

“She was there for me at my worst, after Chloe died.” Max picked up her phone and started dialing. “I can at least see if I can return the favor.”

* * *

“ _Max?_ _Is that you?_ ”

“Ira. It sure is.”

“ _God, it’s been ages. How have you been?_ ”

“I’m well, thank you. How are you?”

“ _Everything’s great. Janine and I were just celebrating our thirtieth anniversary, over lunch with Valerie._ ”

“Oh, how is she doing?”

“ _She’s incredible, Max. She just started her senior year, and she’s on-track to graduate with honors._ ”

“I’m so glad to hear that. Please tell her that I’m happy for her.”

“ _That makes two of us. I really didn’t think we’d see the day._ ”

“Is she still going to meetings?”

“ _She misses them sometimes, because of classes, but she goes when she can. What about you, Max? I heard you opened your own rehab center?_ ”

“I did, with a few other people. We’ve been open for about four months.”

“ _And how’s that going?_ ”

“We’ve had some ups and downs, but it’s been mostly positive.”

“ _Well, congratulations. I always thought about going my own way, but you know, I was never brave enough to risk it. Sometimes I wonder if I would’ve been successful, had I tried._ ”

“I’m sure you would’ve been, Ira. Especially with your track record.”

“ _Ah, maybe. But I suppose there’s no point dwelling on might’ve been. Besides, I get the sense that this isn’t a social call._ ”

“Well… it was great to catch up, Ira, and I do want to hear more. But you’re right, I did call because I was hoping that I could ask a favor.”

“ _Please, Max, you know I owe you more than I’ll ever be able to repay._ ”

“You really don’t, Ira.”

“ _But I do. Especially how you went above and beyond for Valerie. What is it you need?_ ”

“It’s not me. But it is one of my patients. I… don’t suppose you know anyone in California?”

“ _Quite a few people, actually. Is your patient alright?_ ”

“Yes, physically. But professionally… well, they’re in a little bit of a bind.”

“ _Why don’t you tell me about it, then._ ”


	24. Fourth of July

**July 4 th, 2024**

“You know, I wouldn’t mind living in a house like this someday.”

Max glanced at Victoria, as the two of them sat on Kate’s back porch. “Really?”

“Sure.” Victoria sipped from a bottle of water as she nodded. “I kind-of like the idea of having a backyard. I used to love running around mine, back on Mercer Island.” She looked over the grass behind the house. “Though that yard was a lot bigger. And had fewer weeds.”

“Weeds?” Max frowned. “You mean the dandelions?”

“Yea.”

“Those aren’t weeds.”

Victoria smirked. “They are one-hundred-percent weeds.”

“How do you know?”

“The landscapers told me, when I was a kid and asked why they always plucked them when they popped up. They spread way too fast, and steal water from the rest of the lawn.”

“… huh.” Max looked back out into the grass. “I always used to pick a bundle of them to give to my mom.”

The back door beside them opened, and Lynn stepped outside with a beer bottle in her hand. “Pick a bundle of what?” she asked idly, as she re-took her seat beside them.

“Dandelions.” Max nodded towards the yard. “Before I knew they were weeds.”

“Oh. Yea, I’ve told Kate she should have someone clean those up.” Lynn shrugged. “She doesn’t want to. Alice picks them for her, too, and she thinks it’s adorable.”

“It IS adorable,” Victoria pointed out.

“Hey, I’m not arguing. I’m just saying that it’s not my lawn that’ll be ruined.”

Max hummed, before turning back to her fiancée. “You really want a house someday?”

“Yea, I think so.” Victoria shrugged. “I like the condo, don’t get me wrong. But Kate’s house just feels more… homey, I guess. Plus, she doesn’t share a wall with her neighbor.”

“Like, a house in this neighborhood?” Lynn probed.

“Maybe. Or a neighborhood like it.”

“What, exactly, IS stopping us?” Max asked curiously. “Really?”

“… what do you mean?”

“We both make decent money, between the rehab center and your studio. It would be nothing to save up for a down payment. Or use whatever money we get as wedding presents.”

“Well…” Victoria’s voice trailed off. “… huh. I have nothing.”

“Exactly.”

“Honestly, we could do it now if we wanted,” she added. “I’ll bet if we asked my dad, he’d have the accountant free up some funds. Assuming he doesn’t already own a house we can live in.” She leaned back in her seat. “Shit, he might even let us live in the mansion.”

“The one on Mercer Island?”

“Why not? Him and my mom barely even go there anymore. I think they just keep it because they’re expected to have a residence there.”

Lynn blinked. “… your parents own property they don’t live in?”

“Dude, at least three or four just in Seattle.” Victoria looked up in thought. “They’ve also got a high-rise in New York City, a waterfront property in Los Angeles, a HUGE condo in Miami, and I think they still own a place in London. Though they may have sold that, I’m not sure.”

“Shit.” Lynn shook her head. “I want to make THAT kind of fuck-you money.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“Being a broke-as-shit college graduate with a crippling amount of student debt.” She sighed heavily. “I’m one of several accountants slaving away in the financial department, waiting for our boss to die so I have a shot at being promoted.”

“Okay.” Victoria screwed the cap back onto her water bottle. “You want to make better money, here’s what you’re gonna do. You ready?”

Lynn adopted a confused expression. “For… what?”

“I’m not an expert, like my dad, but I know how to make good connections. Your degree is in finance, right?”

“Yea. Why?”

“Our wedding is in five months. Which means you have that long to become an expert on money at an international level.”

Lynn looked at her incredulously. “Oh, is that all?”

“Yes. Don’t worry too much about being right, most of those high-level assholes are wrong half the time anyway. But what you DO want to be is confident and knowledgeable.” Victoria scooted her chair around. “How much do you know about economics in Asia?”

“… let’s say nothing.”

“Learn it. Focusing specifically on developing countries, where there’s lots of money to be made. Watch YouTube videos, listen to money podcasts, but the big thing is gonna be to read the news and know what’s going on in that part of the world.” Victoria pulled out her phone. “I’m gonna send you a text with a few names. You need to research them, too, so you know all about their business activities.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re gonna meet them at our wedding. Which, by the way, is going to be the BEST place to schmooze with the kind of people who buy Ferraris just because they feel like it. And when you do meet them, you need to act like you’ve been following their business ventures like it’s your personal gospel.”

Lynn still had an incredulous look on her face. “Why?” she repeated.

“Because the second-favorite thing they like having stroked is their ego.”

Max wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”

“I know.” Victoria didn’t take her eyes from Lynn. “Do your part, and I’ll introduce you to these guys. When I mention that you work in money, they’ll ask a few questions just to be polite. If you can keep a conversation, and offer some advice like you know what you’re talking about? You’ll open up doors that you can’t even fathom.”

Lynn sat back in her seat. “… really?”

“You want to make good money or not?”

“I mean, yea. But… that seems like something that’s way out of reach.”

Victoria smirked. “You ever heard the phrase ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’?”

“Of course.”

“That’s not just fortune-cookie crap. That’s how things work at the upper levels.”

She took a slow breath. “And… what if I fuck up?”

“Economics are fickle. Shit happens. You think their current advisors don’t fuck up?” Victoria rolled her eyes. “Know what you’re talking about, and fake confidence until you have it for real. The most important thing is for you to get a foot in the door.”

Lynn pursed her lips, as she mulled over what Victoria said. “… Asia, huh?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Become an expert on the economic situation of the world’s largest continent.” Lynn sighed. “Sounds easy enough.”

“You do have five months,” Max reminded her.

“Oh, well, when you put it like that, why the hell not?”

* * *

“You think it’ll work?”

Max shrugged, as she leaned on the counter beside Kate. “I dunno. But Victoria seems pretty confident. And that is her world.”

“I suppose it is.” Kate focused on chopping lettuce for the coleslaw. “Can you pass me the mayo?”

“Sure.” Max handed her the jar. “What time is your family getting here?”

“Twenty minutes or so. My dad sent me a text that they’d left.” She nodded. “Thanks for coming, by the way. You and Victoria. I know Lynn will have my back, but I really wanted friends I knew would be on my side.”

“Of course.” Max nodded. “Still hesitant around your mom?”

“I mean, she has been on her best behavior.” Kate let out a long breath. “Maybe I didn’t need you guys. I just feel like if something does come up, I’ll need a united front.”

Max shrugged. “Hey, you’re feeding us, we’re happy to be here.”

“Fair enough.” Kate smiled. “I am really looking forward to this. I’ve been missing my dad’s fourth-of-July brisket like crazy.”

“Is it that good?”

“I’ve never had a better one. ALICE!!” she called out.

“Yea?” her daughter yelled from upstairs.

“Did you pick up your dolls from the living room?”

Silence answered her, before Max heard the stampeding of tiny footsteps down the stairs. “Yes!” she finally yelled back from the living room.

Max smirked. “Yea, I bet.”

“I know.” Kate shook her head. “Alice, if Aunt Max goes and checks, will there be any dolls laying out?”

“No!” Alice yelled back frantically.

“Okay!” Max stood upright. “I’m coming to look!”

She took her time rounding the corner. Alice was standing against the couch, both hands behind her back; it was plainly obvious to Max that there were no less than five or six Barbie dolls in the four-year-old’s possession.

“Mm.” Max tilted her head, trying to peek around Alice, who immediately shuffled sideways. “What’ve you got there?”

“Nothing,” the girl said innocently.

“You want to show me your hands?”

She shook her head vigorously.

Max bent over, setting both her hands on her knees. “You want to run and put those away before your mom sees them?” she whispered.

Alice nodded.

“Okay.” Max stood upright, winking at Alice. “Sorry, Kate, I don’t see any dolls out here.”

“Are you sure? Maybe I should come look.”

Alice immediately turned and bolted for the stairs, cradling all of her dolls as she scrambled back for her room. She made just as much noise going up as she did coming down.

Max couldn’t help but grin as she wandered back into the kitchen. “No more dolls for real, now.”

“I figured.” They both glanced at the ceiling as they heard Alice run into her room, Kate letting out a sigh. “Well, at least I can rest assured that my daughter isn’t going to become a cat burglar.”

“Not a good one, anyway.”

* * *

“You sure you don’t want one?”

Jessica shook her head at Lynn’s offered beer. “No thanks.”

“Why not? You’re twenty-one now.”

“I know. I just don’t want one.”

Lynn rolled her eyes. “Because Mom says you shouldn’t?”

Jessica hesitated before answering. “… no.”

“Okay.” Lynn shrugged as she set it down, before looking back at Max and Victoria. The youngest Marsh sister had arrived with Kate’s parents, and the four of them had migrated to the living room. “I’m sorry, Max, did you want one?”

“No.” Max shook her head. “I don’t drink either.”

“You- oh. Shit.” Lynn blanched as she looked at Victoria. “I am so sorry. I didn’t even-”

“It’s really fine,” Victoria interrupted. “The sight of a beer bottle isn’t going to set me back.”

“You’re sure? That it’s okay, I mean.”

Victoria smirked. “I’m sure. I didn’t even drink beer, back in the day.”

Jessica looked confused. “Back in… what day?”

“When I was young and stupid. How are your classes going?”

“Pretty good,” she allowed. “One more year until I get my degree.”

“Which degree?”

“Human Resources.”

“Oh, that sounds fun,” Max allowed. “I’ll bet you’ll have some great stories. I’ve read a few of those lists, that HR guys write about their weirdest employees, and they were pretty entertaining.”

Jessica smirked. “I’ve read them too. Though my professors said that most employees are a little better than that.”

“I’d hope so.” Max smirked. “I remember there was one about a guy who moonlighted as a furry, and insisted on wearing a tail at work that-”

“Excuse me!” Kate called from the kitchen. “Can I get a hand in here please?”

“I got it.” Victoria rocked back and stood upright. “Finish your story. It’s funny.”

Max resumed her tale as Victoria made her way into the kitchen, to find Kate holding a large dish with oven mitts. “Can you put a hot pad out?” she asked, nodding towards the table. “It’s on the counter.”

“Sure thing.” Victoria moved the pad, letting Kate set down the tray of baked macaroni and cheese. “Wow, that looks incredible.”

“Thank you.” She wiped her brow. “My dad said the brisket wouldn’t take much longer, he’s just heating it back up on the grill.”

“Sounds good, I’m starving.” Victoria looked around. “Where’s your mom?”

“Alice is showing off her pictures upstairs.” Kate smirked. “I’m surprised she hasn’t shown them to you yet, since you’re her ‘pit’chure-taker’.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Am I legit being a good influence on someone?”

“I mean, I don’t know if it’s you, specifically.”

“Well, I’m telling Max that it is.” Victoria smirked back. “I like the idea of being a good influence, for once.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “If it’s that important to you.”

The back door opened, and Kate’s father back in while holding an aluminum tray of meat with his own set of oven mitts. The smell of cooking meat hit Victoria’s nostrils like a freight train and made her mouth start watering. “Oh my God, that smells AMAZING,” she gushed.

“Thank you!” He beamed as he looked around. “Where can I put this?”

“Right here.” Victoria held her hands out. “I’ll take it.”

“The heck you will,” Kate immediately countered. “There’s another hot pad behind you.”

Victoria quickly set it out, and Kate’s father set down the tray in front of her. She could barely take her eyes off the sliced meat, blackened at the edges but looking incredibly juicy in the middle. She unconsciously reached a hand for the closest piece.

A wooden spoon smacked her knuckles. “OW!” she yelped as she yanked her hand back. “That hurt!”

“Serves you right.” Kate brandished the spoon like a sword. “You keep your hands to yourself, or else.”

“But I’m hungry!”

“Good things come to those who wait.”

* * *

It only took a few minutes for everyone else to be seated at the long kitchen table. Besides the brisket and baked mac & cheese, Kate had also prepared coleslaw, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies, and rolls. The entire spread was making Victoria’s stomach grumble.

After suffering through Kate’s mother saying Grace, Victoria was finally able to grab a piece. She bit into a particularly savory-looking strip of beef, closing her eyes as she finally tasted it. “Mmmmm.”

Kate’s father smirked. “Thank you.”

“My God, this is seriously amazing.” Victoria quickly ate another bite. “You should sell this. I’ll bet people would line up around the block for it.”

“I’ve been told that before.” He shrugged. “Honestly, anyone can do it. I found the recipe on the internet years ago.”

“He still has the printout stuck to the fridge,” Jessica added. “Can someone pass the rolls?”

“Here.” Kate handed them over. “Alice, how many vegetables do you want?”

The four-year-old looked up from her serving of the mac & cheese. “None.”

“Wrong answer.” Kate took a scoop and poured it onto Alice’s plate. “There you go.”

“Mom!”

Kate raised an eyebrow. “Do you want desert?”

“… yes,” Alice muttered dejectedly.

“Then you’d better eat every single one.”

“Okay.” She stuck her fork in a carrot, looking at the morsel like it was poison. Lynn, who was sitting next to her, waited until Kate’s back was turned before reaching over and stabbing at one of Alice’s other carrots. She winked at Alice as she popped it in her mouth, while the girl smiled connivingly.

Max snorted in amusement, and Kate frowned as she turned back. “What?”

“Nothing. Hey, by the way, how’s the new book coming?”

“Almost done.” Kate nodded. “Just need to do the finer details, get it colored, then have my editor review it.”

Jessica leaned forward. “What’s this one about?”

“It’s about a rabbit named Cyrus whose mother suffers from depression,” Kate explained. “It was pretty hard to write; I had to consult with a bunch of psychologists.”

Her mother frowned. “That doesn’t seem like a suitable topic for a children’s book.”

“Which is why it needed to be written,” Kate countered.

“Wouldn’t a lighter subject have been easier to write about?”

“Yes. But the market is flooded with books on lighter subjects that teach life lessons,” Kate said patiently. “Nobody wants to explain complex and difficult subjects like depression to children. But it’s something that they might have to deal with. My book explains, on their level, why a parent might feel and act the way they do. And make it into something they understand, not fear.”

Victoria looked between Kate and her mother, feeling the strain between them. She could feel Max tense up beside her.

“… I suppose that makes sense,” she finally allowed.

“Thank you. My publisher agrees.” Kate sat back in her chair as Victoria relaxed, before she resumed eating her brisket. “So did the psychologists I worked with. They all expressed interest in obtaining copies of the book for their younger patients.”

“So the books are selling well?” her father asked.

“Very well. Sales on Amazon tripled since last year.” Kate smiled. “They want me to do another four books after this one. And they’re talking about having me on a morning TV show.”

“Really?” Jessica leaned forward. “You’re gonna be on TV?!”

“MAYBE,” Kate cautioned. “My publisher still has to work out the details. But they’re talking about it. They think making me a little more visible will boost sales.”

“Oh, man.” Max grinned. “I don’t know if we can keep you as a bridesmaid now. Your newfound fame might overshadow us.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “I highly doubt that.”

“Bridesmaid?” her mother picked her head up. “I didn’t know you were going to be a bridesmaid.”

“Oops. Sorry, I guess it never came up.” Kate nodded towards Max. “They asked me, for their wedding in December.”

“Oh, how sweet!” Kate’s mother smiled at Max. “Where are you getting married?”

“It’s a small estate near Mount Rainier.”

“In December?” she raised her eyebrows. “Oh, my. That’s going to be rather chilly, dear.”

Kate sighed. “So we’ve told them.”

“We’re giving you guys jackets,” Max reminded her. “Pretty nice ones, as I understand it, for the four of you.”

“Well, we’re gonna need them. Especially if you guys want to get married in the snow.”

“Ooh.” Her mother winced. “That’s definitely going to be cold.”

“Sounds like it’ll make for nice pictures, though,” Kate’s father added. “Though I’d make them fast ones.”

Max smirked. “We planned on it.”

“What about you?” Kate’s mother asked. “Are you wearing a jacket too?”

“No. My friend is a fashion designer, and she said she’d make me a cloak to go with my dress.” Max pulled her phone from her pocket and opened up her photo app. “Like this one.”

“Ah.” The older woman studied the photo. “That actually looks pretty nice.”

“Thank you.”

“What about your fiancé?” she asked, handing the phone back. “I’m assuming he’s going to wear a long coat? Otherwise he’s going to freeze.”

Kate and Lynn both snickered, as Max squirmed in her seat. “Good question,” Lynn agreed as she glanced at Victoria, who was trying to finish her newest bite of brisket. “What do you think?”

Victoria swallowed quickly. “Definitely not a long coat. Maybe a short one, because I want to show off my dress.”

“Um… okay.” Kate’s mother looked confused, between Victoria and Max. “But what about your future husband?”

Max took a slow breath. “I don’t have a future husband.”

“Then… who are-”

“You can ask her yourself, Mom.” Lynn gestured at Victoria with a fork. “Max’s fiancée is sitting right there.”

Her mother looked back and forth between Max and Victoria, an incredulous look coming over her face. “You’re marrying… HER?”

The tone in her voice made Victoria immediately tense up, as she looked at the older woman. Max straightened in her chair. “Yes. Victoria is my future wife.”

Kate’s mother whipped her head around to face her. “You let DYKES into this house?!”

The silence was deafening. It looked to Victoria like everyone froze. Even Kate’s father stopped mid-chew, as he looked at his wife with wide eyes. Jessica had a mortified expression on her face. Beside her, Lynn’s amusement had vanished as she stared at her mother.

Kate slowly put her fork down and stood up. “Apologize to Max and Victoria,” she said evenly. “Right now.”

“I will NOT!! You let these two dykes desecrate your home and you don’t even mention to us that they’re here?!”

Alice slowly looked up at her mother. “What’s a dyke?” she asked innocently.

Kate didn’t turn her head. “Alice, why don’t you take Aunt Victoria to your room and show her your pictures.”

“Great idea!” Victoria shot out of her seat and stepped around the table, grabbing Alice by her armpits and lifting her out of her chair. “Come on, kiddo, let’s go upstairs.”

“What- are you just going to let here be alone with your CHILD?!" Kate's mother exclaimed. "How can you-”

“NO!! SHUT UP!!” Kate yelled back. “Don’t you DARE insult her or Max in MY house!”

Victoria ushered Alice quickly out of the kitchen, towards the stairs. Alice couldn’t stop turning her head to look at the commotion. “Aunt Victoria-”

“Come on, upstairs.” Victoria pushed her forward. “Let’s let the adults talk for a little while.”

Behind them, the yelling kicked up an octave. “Those filthy THINGS are turning your house into-”

“I wouldn’t even HAVE this house if it wasn’t for Victoria! You will not utter a SINGLE bad word about-”

“Do you realize what she could DO to your child?!”

“SHE’S MORE OF A RELATIVE TO MY DAUGHTER THAN YOU ARE!!”

They continued screaming at each other as Victoria half-pushed, half-carried Alice up the stairs and into her room, closing the door behind her. The yelling was muffled, though they could still hear some of it.

“So.” Victoria smiled widely. “Where are those photos?”

Alice didn’t match her enthusiasm, as she looked at Victoria with a worried expression. “… am I in trouble?”

“No.” she knelt in front of the girl. “No, sweetie, of course not.”

“Why is my mom yelling?”

Victoria’s mind raced as she tried to come up with an answer. “… they just need to have an adult conversation,” she finally answered. “It’s better if you’re up here. Now, your mom told me that you have a picture book?”

“… yea.” Alice turned and walked over to her bookshelf, pulling out a plastic-bound booklet. “Here.”

“Come on, let’s see.” Victoria sat on the floor, leaning against the bed. Alice sat next to her as she opened the book. “Oh, hey, that’s your house.”

“Uh huh.”

“It looks great. You did a really good job.” Victoria rubbed her shoulder as she turned the page, trying to ignore the shouting from downstairs. “Is that Aunt Lynn, at your birthday?”

“Yea.” Alice nodded as she held up the book. Lynn’s face was pressed next to hers, the older blonde holding the camera out as they both smiled for the selfie. “She gave me the camera and two Barbies.”

“TWO Barbies? That sounds like fun.” Victoria smiled. “What’s next?”

Alice looked up at her, a guilty expression on her face. “Aunt Victoria?”

“Yes?”

“What’s a dyke?”

She took a slow breath, letting it out through her nose before answering. “Has your mom told you not to say bad things about people?” she asked gently.

Alice nodded. “Because it hurts their feelings.”

“That word is a bad word, for girls who like other girls. People like me and your Aunt Max.” She put her hands on her chest. “That word hurts my feelings.”

“… oh.” Alice dropped her gaze. “I’m sorry.”

“No, hey, it’s okay,” Victoria assured her. “You didn’t know. And now you do.”

The child looked back up. “Does Grandma know it’s a bad word?”

_Crap._

“I don’t know,” Victoria answered evasively. “She might.”

“Was she being mean?”

“Maybe a little.”

Alice hummed. “… I don’t like Grandma anymore.”

Victoria sighed. “Me either, kid.”

“She didn’t like that I don’t pray at bedtime.” Alice rubbed her hands. “She said that means I won’t get into heaven.”

_… that bitch._

“You know what?” Victoria smiled. “Let’s not talk about your grandmother anymore. Come on, I want to see more of your pictures. What else-”

Footsteps approached the door, and they turned as it opened. Max and Jessica quickly slid inside, closing the door behind them. “Hey,” Max greeted. “We decided that we wanted to see Alice’s pictures, too.”

“And it’s quieter up here,” Jessica added.

“A little.” Victoria nodded. “Come on, we just started. Alice, show Max the picture you took with Aunt Lynn.”

“Ooh, I definitely want to see that.” Max smiled as she sat on Alice’s other side, Jessica taking a seat in front of them. “Wow, Alice, that looks really good.”

“Thank you.” She glanced at Max. “… I’m sorry I said a bad word, Aunt Max.”

Max glanced at Victoria, confused. She responded by mouthing the offensive word in question. “Oh. Hey, it’s okay,” Max assured her. “You didn’t know what it meant.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Jessica added. “About my mom.”

“You definitely don’t need to worry about it.” Victoria smirked. “Besides, I’ve been called way worse.”

* * *

The yelling didn’t stop for almost half an hour.

After the picture book was done, they moved on to reading Alice’s books out loud, trying to drown out the argument. Jessica was just wrapping her story up before they heard the front door slam shut, hard enough to reverberate through the house.

Alice looked up. “… are they done?”

“I’ll go see.” Victoria stood up. “You guys wait here.”

She cracked open the bedroom door, not hearing anything. She was about to head down when Lynn appeared at the bottom step. “Fight’s over,” she announced. “You guys can come down now.”

Victoria made sure the others were getting up before she headed down the stairs. “Is your mom still here?” she asked quietly.

“No. Kate was very clear that she leave.”

She sighed. “… did your dad take his brisket with him?”

“Oh, no. He’s still here.”

“Really?”

Lynn nodded as the others came down the stairs, jerking her head towards the kitchen. “Come on. They’re waiting.”

Kate looked exhausted. Like she’d just finished running a marathon. They walked in to see her in her chair, slumped forward as she ran both hands down her face. Her father looked much the same as he stood, leaning against the counter as he stared out the window.

“… are you guys okay?” Max asked carefully.

“I’m fine.” Kate sighed. “… I’m sorry you and Victoria got caught in the middle of all this.”

“I’m sorry, too.” Her father looked at Max and Victoria. “My wife has always had some… conservative views. But I never imagined she’d say anything like that.”

Max nodded, looking around. “Where did she go?”

“Home. She said she’d take a cab, or Uber.” He shook his head, then looked at the brisket. “I’m afraid the food’s gone cold.”

“I’m sure it still tastes good.” Victoria reached out and picked up another strip of beef, taking a bite. “Mm. Yep.”

Kate looked at her and Max. “Are YOU guys okay?”

“We’re fine.” Victoria shrugged. “Like I told Jessica, I’ve been called worse.”

“I’m still sorry.” Kate shook her head. “If you guys want to leave, I understand.”

“No way. This brisket is too good.” Victoria glanced at Kate’s father. “You can re-heat it, right?”

He smirked. “I suppose I can stick it in the oven for a few minutes. With the mac & cheese.”

“Let’s do that. I’m still hungry.”

“And I’ve changed my mind,” Jessica said suddenly, as she looked at Lynn. “I want to try one of your beers.”

Lynn looked at her in astonishment, before she burst out giggling. Victoria and Max followed right behind her, dragging Kate, her father, and Alice with them. Before long, the entire kitchen echoed with their laughter.

* * *

 **Brooke:** I still have my job.

 **Max:** Really? That’s great!

 **Brooke:** I know you had a hand in it.

 **Max:** Who said that I did?

 **Brooke:** The chief of the hospital staff told me about the phone call he got.

 **Max:** No idea what you’re talking about.

 **Brooke:** … thank you. For that, and everything besides.

 **Max:** You’re welcome. I’m glad they took you back.

 **Brooke:** Well, I’m on the mother of all probation periods. And I’m one screw-up away from being out on my ass.

 **Brooke:** Plus, I have to get drug-tested every week.

 **Max:** Regaining trust takes time, Brooke. You’ll get it back eventually.

 **Brooke:** I hope so.

 **Max:** What about you and Warren?

 **Brooke:** He’s on the couch. And he doesn’t speak to me any more than he has to.

 **Brooke:** Our first counseling session is this Thursday.

 **Max:** He needs time too, Brooke.

 **Brooke:** I hope so.


	25. Big Sister

**July 23 rd, 2024**

“So… aperture is just how in-focus the background is?”

Victoria smirked, as she sat with Lindsey on the bench outside the church. “I mean, there’s a little more to it than that. But that’s the general idea. You tighten it for group shots and landscapes, but when you’re shooting portraits, you keep it nice and wide. That way the focus is on the person, not what’s behind them.”

“Right.” Lindsey messed with the camera in her hands. “So if I want to take a shot of those people at the bus stop, I should narrow it up a bit?”

“I would.”

She complied, before lifting the camera and taking a photo. Victoria nodded as she brought the picture up on the screen. “Not bad. But your white balance is a little off.”

“Oh.” Lindsey navigated through the camera settings. “That’s ISO, right?”

“It is.”

“Okay.” She adjusted the setting, then lifted the camera and took another photo. “How’s that?”

“Perfect.” Victoria took the camera and examined the new picture. “Not bad, Lindsey. A little more practice, and you should be good to go.”

“Thanks.” Lindsey beamed with the praise. “When’s your next wedding?”

“Not for a couple of weeks.” Victoria set the camera down on the bench between them. “I’ll let you try shooting with me, but not the important pictures; you’re still gonna help me with those. I want to make sure your photos come out good before I turn you loose with a camera.”

“I can do that.” She nodded. “When’s the wedding after that?”

“Literally the next day. You think you’ll be able to get off work?”

“I’ll try. I definitely make more money with you that I do at Starbucks.”

“Maybe, but that Starbucks money is a regular income stream. You don’t want to lose that.”

Lindsey sighed heavily. “Even though I hate that place with every fiber of my being?”

“The trials we go through. I wasn’t a huge fan of the restaurant I used to work at, either.” Victoria rubbed her hands together. “But it brought in money and paid the bills. Speaking of, how’s your savings account looking?”

“Better, I suppose.” Lindsey shrugged. “Got about fifteen hundred or so together now. So, I guess enough for a security deposit, at least.”

“Good. A little more, and you should be able to cover first month’s rent, too.”

“… yep.” Lindsey sank into the bench. “Then I need a bed. And something for Anna to sleep on. And furniture.”

“And utilities,” Victoria reminded her. “If you don’t have a credit history, some of them require money up-front, too.”

“Wonderful. Finish line just moved a little further back.” Lindsey blew a piece of hair from her face. “This sucks.”

Victoria chewed on the inside of her cheek. She was about to reply before her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she checked the texts.

 **Max:** She’s here.

 **Max:** In the back room.

 _Great._ Victoria put her phone away, as a bad feeling gnawed at her stomach. _Wonder how this’ll go over._

_Shouldn’t have agreed to this. Or at least I should’ve asked Lindsey first._

“I wish I could help you more,” she said to Lindsey. “I really do.”

“You help enough.” Lindsey nodded. “I appreciate the extra work. But… I know what Charlie says, about doing this stuff myself.”

“Right.” Victoria slowly stood up, facing the church. “Let’s go back inside.”

Lindsey furrowed her brow. “Why? The meeting’s over.”

“Just… come on.”

* * *

Lindsey followed her inside, the door closing behind them. They both made their way towards the back.

Victoria stopped, turning to face Lindsey. “There’s someone else here who wants to help you,” she admitted.

“… huh?” Lindsey blinked. “Wha- someone wants to help… me?”

“Yes.”

“What, like another sponsor?”

“Sort of.” Victoria took a breath. “Max found her. And told her about how you’re doing, and what you’ve been struggling with. She wanted to help.”

“She… wait, who is it?”

Victoria licked her lips as she turned towards the door behind them. “Come on. You’ll see.”

Lindsey looked very apprehensive, but she followed Victoria as she opened the door and lead the way inside.

Four seats were arranged in a rough circle. Max was sitting in one, her phone in hand; she put it away as soon as they came inside. Next to her was another woman, about Victoria’s age, with short blonde hair. She was obviously pregnant, at what looked to be the six-month mark, and was dressed very nicely in khakis and a white maternity shirt.

As soon as Lindsey stepped out from behind Victoria, the woman locked eyes with her and let out a small gasp. Lindsey met her gaze and froze in place, the door swinging shut behind her.

“Oh my God,” the woman breathed, as she stood up. “Lindsey. It really is you.”

Victoria’s sponsee worked her mouth like a fish. “… Melissa?” she finally whispered.

Her older sister put both hands on her chest as her lips started quivering. “Oh, God, Lindsey,” she gasped. “I… God, Lindsey, I thought you were dead…”

Lindsey didn’t move, staying rooted in her spot.

“I’m sorry.” Melissa sniffled as she stepped closer, reaching out. “Lindsey, I am so-”

“No!” Lindsey threw her arms out, pushing her sister’s hands away. “No, don’t fucking touch me!”

Melissa stopped, her hands still out, as Victoria exchanged looks with Max. Lindsey stood in front of her and hyperventilated. “What the fuck are you doing here?” she fumed. “What the fuck do you want?”

“Lindsey, I swear, I am so sorry.” Melissa wiped her eyes. “I just… Max told me that you needed help-”

“And what?” Lindsey snapped. “You thought you’d just come back to ditch me again?!”

Melissa looked like she’d been punched, as she wilted. “Hey, that’s not fair,” Victoria said sternly. “Lindsey, that was over a decade ago-”

“I know how long ago it was!” Lindsey snapped. “I’ve got the fucking scars to remind me!”

Max stepped forward beside her. “Lindsey, she wants to help you-”

“Oh, NOW she wants to help?!” Lindsey’s face was red in anger. “Where the fuck was she when I was a kid? Oh, that’s right, she fucking DITCHED me with that psychotic druggie we used to call Mom!”

“I… Lindsey, I had to!” Melissa begged. “That guy, Ryan, he… he just wouldn’t stop hitting me, and throwing things-”

“And what, you think he fucking stopped because you left?!” With that, Lindsey grabbed her beanie and yanked it off her head. “That’s what he did when I couldn’t tell him where you were!”

Victoria’s eyes widened. She’d always assumed that Lindsey, like Steph, wore her beanie for fashion’s sake. Now that she finally got a look at her without it, it was clear that she wore it to hide the ugly and bumpy scar that started near the top of her forehead. It wound into her scalp, standing out amongst the brown hair; it looked like whatever happened had never been properly treated.

Melissa looked horrified. “Oh my God, Lindsey, what-”

“He threw me headfirst into that big-ass mirror in the living room.” Lindsey jammed her beanie back over her head. “Which I guess explains my years of shit luck.”

“Why didn’t you get help from-”

“From WHO?!” Lindsey exclaimed. “The asshole who sliced my head open? That bitch of a mother who let him do it? The next boyfriend who liked putting his hands under my shirt?!” she paused. “Or maybe my big sister? Maybe SHE could’ve fucking helped me, if she wasn’t too bust leaving me for the wolves!”

“Lindsey, I wasn’t-”

“No, you weren’t! You weren’t fucking ANYTHING except saving yourself! So FUCK you!”

“Lindsey, wait!” Victoria stepped in front of her as she turned to try and leave. “Your sister wants to help!”

“I don’t give a shit!” Lindsey tried to push past Victoria, but the blonde wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Let me go!”

“Stop!” Victoria grabbed her by both shoulders, barely holding onto the younger girl as she continued to struggle. “Lindsey, I know you’re mad-”

“Fuck you too! Let go of me!”

“Hey!” Victoria gave her a rough shake, which stopped her for a second. “You need help! And there is only so much I can do to help you! Your sister wants to-”

“Screw her!” Lindsey had angry tears in her eyes, and she wiped them quickly before glaring at Victoria. “She left me there!”

“What was she supposed to do, Lindsey?! She is not your parent! It was not her job to protect you!”

“I was just a kid!”

“SO WAS SHE!!”

That answer caught Lindsey off-guard. Victoria took advantage of the silence to push ahead. “You said she was sixteen when she left. She was a CHILD, Lindsey. She was a scared girl getting abused by people who were supposed to help her, and she had nowhere to turn. You know what kids do where they’re scared, Lindsey? They RUN. That is NOT her fault.”

“… she left me there,” Lindsey argued half-heartedly. “That asshole threw me into-”

“She had no way of knowing what was going to happen,” Victoria countered, in a gentler tone of voice. “You sister isn’t responsible for what you went through. That’s on the asshole who threw you at the mirror, and your shithead of a mother for letting him do it.”

“But-”

“She was a kid, Lindsey. Just like you were.” Victoria took a breath. “You were both kids in a fucked-up situation that no kid should ever be in. She only saw one way out, she took it, and you cannot blame her for that. But she’s here now, and she wants to help you.”

Lindsey swallowed, as she averted her gaze. “I don’t want her help.”

“You are not in a position to refuse help from anyone,” Victoria reminded her. “Especially from a family member that still loves you.”

Her sponsee didn’t have an answer for that.

“Let’s sit down.” Victoria gently pushed her towards the chairs. “Come on. Just… talk to your sister.”

She complied, letting herself get guided into a seat. Her heel immediately started bouncing up and down nervously. Victoria sat next to her as Melissa and Max retook their seats, Melissa moving slowly as she struggled to maneuver her baby bump.

“Lindsey, I am so sorry,” she said sincerely. “I’m sorry I left you. And that I never tried to reach out before. I just… I saw that mom moved, and after Matt and Jessica and Jackson…” Her voice trailed off. “I thought the worst.”

Lindsey licked her lips as she kicked her feet, not making eye contact. “… do you know where Mom and Will are?” she finally asked.

Melissa bit her lip and nodded. “She reached out to me on Facebook a couple of years ago, asking for money. They’re living in a trailer in Arizona.”

“What are they doing out there?”

“I’m not sure.”

“… did you give her any money?”

Melissa shook her head. “She looked really strung-out,” she explained. “When I asked if she was going to spend it on food or drugs, she told me that it was none of my business. So I blocked her.”

“What about Will?”

“She said he was there, but I didn’t see him.”

Lindsey finally gave her the barest of looks. “… how far along are you?”

“I, uh, just hit my third trimester.” Melissa laid a hand on her belly. “It’s a boy.”

“So, are you… married?”

“For about a year now. My husband wants to help you, too.”

Lindsey frowned. “Why?”

“Because you’re my sister.”

“… that’s it?”

“We’ve been talking about it ever since Max reached out to us,” Melissa said as she nodded towards the brunette. “She told us that you’re living on someone’s couch. And trying to save for your own place, so you can get your daughter back from Social Services.”

Lindsey looked down and nodded.

Melissa licked her lips as she leaned forward. “Lindsey, I’m sorry I left when we were kids. And that I wasn’t there for you before. But… I want to help now.” She took a slow breath. “My husband and I have a guest room. We want you to come live with us."

The blonde looked up, but she didn’t respond.

“We can help you save money. And…” Melissa hesitated. “I’m sorry, Max didn’t tell me your daughter’s name.”

“… Anna.”

“Do you have a picture?”

Victoria watched Lindsey slowly stop bouncing her foot, before she dug into her pocket, pulling out the wrinkled photo she’d been carrying for months. She held it out for Melissa to see.

“She’s beautiful,” Melissa marveled.

“Thanks.”

“I want to help you get her back, Lindsey. I… we’ll find a way. We can convince them that we can help, and maybe they’ll give her back.”

Lindsey swallowed. “The social worker said that she needs her own space.”

“We live in a four-bedroom house. We use another room as an office, and the last room was going to be the baby’s room, but… I mean, kids share rooms all the time. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Melissa paused. “Besides, we were gonna keep the baby’s crib in our room for a while anyway. So it’ll be all hers until we decide to move it.”

There was no response, as Lindsey fidgeted with her hands while studiously avoiding everyone’s looks. “I need air,” she finally announced as she stood. “I’ll be right back.”

With that, she turned and left the room. After a couple of seconds, Victoria got up. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t run off.”

* * *

She hadn’t. Lindsey was back on the bench outside when Victoria got there. She didn’t turn to look as the door closed, or as Victoria approached and sat down beside her.

“I don’t like you right now,” Lindsey muttered after a few seconds.

“I figured.” Victoria nodded. “There were a couple of times I hated my sponsor, too.”

“Was she usually right?”

“More often than I care to admit.”

Lindsey gave a small snort of amusement, as she stared into space. “… she was the only one who made me feel safe, when we were kids,” she finally admitted quietly. “When she ran away, I spent weeks hoping and praying that she’d come back."

“What happened to you is not her fault,” Victoria reminded her.

“That asshole and my mom thought it was.”

“You were ten. And by your and Melissa’s own accounts, your mother doesn’t have a spectacular track record on being a good parent. Or human being.”

“Can’t argue with that.” Lindsey finally glanced at Victoria. “Are you gonna tell me to take her offer?”

Victoria shook her head. “It’s your choice to make. Though… I can’t see any reason for you not to. Especially if you want to get Anna back faster.”

“Right.” Lindsey sighed. “I can go from being a burden on my friend to being a burden on my sister.”

“Uh, excuse me.” Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you tell me that you gave your friend several hundred dollars for her son’s medical bills? Because I’m pretty sure that disqualifies you from being a burden.”

“I-”

“Also, you hated your sister ten minutes ago,” Victoria added. “Now you don’t want to be a burden? Your excuses are growing more holes than a cheese grater.”

Lindsey shifted uncomfortably. “… she’s got a kid on the way.”

“Then pay her some rent. I’m sure she’d appreciate it. Though it’s my understanding that as computer engineers, her and her husband aren’t hurting for money.”

“They are?” Lindsey blinked. “Really?”

“Yea. I think Max said they build supercomputers. Or design them, or… something. I’m not sure.” Victoria shrugged. “Point is that they make decent money. Though like I said, if you’re gonna be living there, chipping in isn’t a terrible idea.”

Lindsey absorbed that, slowly turning her gaze back towards the road. “… I don’t know.”

Victoria took a slow breath, letting it out as she tried to think of what to say. “I can’t imagine how much it hurt, feeling like you were abandoned,” she allowed. “Not having anyone there to protect you. And after everything you went through, I’m sure she’s an easy person to blame for not being there. Right?”

“Mm hm.”

“She couldn’t help you then, Lindsey. She was a kid, too, in the exact same situation you were. And it’s supposed to be a parent’s job to look out for their kids, not the siblings.” Victoria nodded inside. “But she can help you now. She WANTS to help you.”

Lindsey licked her lips, not responding.

“Besides, you’re the one who keeps complaining about the finishing line being pushed back,” Victoria reminded her. “Here’s your chance to reel it closer.”

“… right.”

She fell silent as she stared off. Victoria let her sit and think for a few minutes as she waited patiently, her legs crossed as she watched the gears move in Lindsey’s head.

The girl finally exhaled and slowly stood up. Victoria followed her as they head back into the church.

* * *

Max and Melissa were talking quietly when they got back. They both fell silent as Lindsey walked inside, ahead of Victoria, and re-took her seat.

She bit her lip before looking back at Melissa. “… did Max tell you I did drugs?” she asked quietly.

Melissa nodded. “Not… what, exactly,” she clarified. “But I figured, if you were in Narcotics Anonymous, that you did.”

“It was Vicodin.” She scratched her arm. “Or Percocet, or Oxy, or… any painkiller I could get my hands on, really.”

“… okay.” Melissa paused. “But you don’t want to anymore. Right?”

Lindsey nodded. “I need to keep going to the meetings,” she elaborated. “If not here, then… somewhere, near your house.”

“We don’t live far away,” Melissa assured her. “We’re in Fairmount Park. It’s only a twenty-minute drive to get here.”

“And…” Lindsey hesitated. “You guys aren’t vegans, right?”

Victoria and Max both snorted, as Melissa cracked a smirk. “Definitely not.”

Lindsey nodded. “How much do you want for rent?”

Her sister furrowed her brow. “You don’t have to-”

“I think a few hundred bucks a month is appropriate,” Victoria interjected. “Especially if Lindsey, and eventually Anna, will be living with you for a little while. I’m sure she doesn’t want to be a burden on your or your husband.”

Melissa picked up on the hint, looking between Victoria and Lindsey, who looked at her expectantly. “… right. Um… it’s only one room. And it’s not that big. So… three hundred?”

Lindsey nodded slowly. “I can do that.”

“… does that mean you will?” Melissa asked hopefully. “Because I could really use your help. The baby’s due in three months, and I have no idea what I’m doing.”

The corner of Lindsey’s mouth twitched. “If Max told you about me, then you know I’m not a great parental role model.”

“Hey, if you’ve changed a diaper, then you know more than me.”

Lindsey shook her head. “… yea. Okay.”

“You will?”

She nodded.

Victoria tried to keep the sounds of her relief inaudible. The tension also eased from Max’s shoulders, as Melissa smiled. “Okay. I, uh… I can take you back to your friend’s place, and we can get your stuff tonight if you want. The guest room is already put together and everything.”

Lindsey looked back up. “What about your husband?”

“He’s in Texas for work, and won’t be back until next week.”

“He won’t be mad or anything?”

Melissa shook her head. “Moving you into the guest room was his idea.”

“Oh.” Lindsey glanced at quickly Victoria, before looking back at her sister. “… you guys work on supercomputers?”

“Yes. For a company called Cray. His team is installing a new system at a firm that does oil field exploration.”

“Cool.” She itched at her fingernails. “… I’m sorry I told you to go fuck yourself.”

Melissa nodded. “I’m sorry I left,” she replied softly. “And for what happened after.”

“I… guess that wasn’t your fault.”

“Still.” She stood, grunting with the effort. “Can I take you to dinner? Please?”

Lindsey hesitated. “I usually get food with Victoria after-”

“Go with your sister,” Victoria told her. “We’ll get burgers next time.”

“… okay.”

* * *

“They’re home.”

Victoria picked her head up from her computer, where she’d been editing photos from a recent wedding. “Lindsey and Melissa?”

“Yea. Melissa just sent me a text.” Max typed out a reply, as the two of them sat on their couch. “She said they talked a lot, over dinner, and that it went really well. They went back to the apartment and got some of Lindsey’s stuff, and brought it back to Melissa’s house. They’re gonna get the rest of it later.”

“Explains why we haven’t heard back in hours.” Victoria breathed a sigh of relief as she closed her laptop. “I guess you were right.”

“Shocking.”

“Your smugness isn’t as adorable as you think it is.”

Max smirked. “Hey, you know, you were really great today.”

Victoria glanced at her. “Yea?”

“Yea. I really don’t know why you were stressing about becoming Lindsey’s sponsor, because you nailed it. That was pretty much exactly what she needed to hear.”

She smiled. “Maybe I should look into applying for a job at your rehab center.”

“If we had an opening, I’d tell you to go for it.” Max nodded. “Between helping Lindsey and Brooke, you’ve got a real knack for this.”

Victoria frowned. “Wait, am I getting so old that I’m actually getting the maturity and wisdom that comes with age?”

Max rolled her eyes. “You’re twenty-eight. You’re not that old.”

“But I’m in my late twenties. Which means I’m almost in my thirties. Which means I’m so close to my FORTIES.” Victoria dropped her head into her hands. “My God, I’m almost ancient. I’ll be making fun of the younger generation before you know it. You might as well put me in a nursing home now.”

A snort escaped Max’s nose. “You’re literally a month older than I am. Are you calling ME ancient?”

Victoria smirked, as she glanced up. “Hey, if the shoe fits.”

“Wha- ex-CUSE me?!”

* * *

 **Unknown:** It’s Lindsey. This is my new number.

**< CONTACT INFO UPDATED>**

**Victoria:** You got a new cell phone?”

 **Lindsey:** Yea. Melissa and John put me on their plan and got me an iPhone.

 **Victoria:** That was nice of them. How’s everything going?

 **Lindsey:** Good. John’s pretty cool, too. Though he’s kind of a nerd.

 **Victoria:** Seems to fit the bill for a guy who builds supercomputers.

 **Lindsey:** I figured. But did you know they wrote a ton of Star Wars books? About what happens after the movies?

 **Victoria:** I was vaguely aware that there were books.

 **Lindsey:** He knows EVERYTHING about them. Like, a concerning amount. I didn’t know it was possible for someone to be this big of a Star Wars nerd. Or than Leia and Han had three kids.

 **Victoria:** They did? I thought they only had the one? The guy from the movies with the helmet?

 **Lindsey:** That’s what I said. He was pretty offended. Apparently, the movies that Disney put out “don’t count”.

 **Lindsey:** He was going on and on about the books, trying to explain them to me. Luke had a son, too, and then Chewbacca died when the galaxy was invaded, and then one of Han and Leia’s kids turned to the dark side… it was so hard to keep up with.

 **Victoria:** Well, everyone’s passionate about something. How are you and Melissa doing?

 **Lindsey:** Better, I guess. We’ve been talking a lot.

 **Lindsey:** She tried to give me a bunch of money.

 **Victoria:** Tried to?

 **Lindsey:** It felt… I don’t know. Like I would’ve been the bad guy if I’d taken it, with her about to have a kid and all.

 **Victoria:** Maybe a little. Have you talked to the social worker yet?

 **Lindsey:** I did. She said she needs to inspect the house, and meet with Melissa and John, before she makes any decisions.

 **Lindsey:** But she said if it was a steady living space, and there was room for Anna, she wouldn’t see a problem with giving her back.

 **Victoria:** Good! See, you’re almost there.

 **Lindsey:** I guess you were right.

 **Lindsey:** So… thanks for not letting me walk out on Melissa.

 **Victoria:** You’re welcome.


	26. Fitting

**August 14 th, 2024**

“Stop it.”

Taylor looked down at Courtney, as the black-haired girl held a tape measure around her waist. “Stop what?”

“Sucking in your stomach. You’re not helping.”

“I’m not sucking anything in.”

“Fine.” Courtney looked up at her. “Exhale. Hard.”

Taylor obeyed, blowing air out of her mouth. From her seat on the couch, Victoria watched as the tape expanded in Courtney’s hands, and she started snickering. “Sure you weren’t.”

“Shut up!” Taylor’s face turned red. “I’ll lose the weight!”

“You’re not fat, and you don’t need to lose any weight.” Courtney checked the tape, then scribbled the number down on her notepad. “I’d rather the dresses be too loose instead of too tight. I can fix the first, but not the second. Hold your arms out straight.”

Taylor sighed, as she did as Courtney asked. “I don’t like being ordered around in my own apartment.”

“Too bad.” Courtney smirked as she stood back up. “Though this is a nice-ass apartment.”

Victoria couldn’t argue with that, as she looked around. Taylor’s recent promotion had led her to upgrade to a fancier apartment, one that occupied a spot on the ninth floor of a new building. And included all of the latest Amazon smart-home appliances, including the coffee maker that Max was currently enjoying, as it finished filling her mug.

“When is the fabric coming in?” Max asked curiously, as she took her coffee cup back. “I thought it was going to take longer.”

“It is.” Courtney nodded. “The email I got from them said it would be here sometime between late August and late September.”

“Then why are we doing this now? Shouldn’t we wait?”

Courtney shot here a look. “I’m sorry, who here has the degree in making pretty clothes?”

Victoria looked at Max with a smirk on her face, as her fiancée winced. “Touché.”

“We’re doing this now because I’m not going to be able to make it back to Seattle before the material shows up.” She turned back to Taylor, letting the tape hang from her armpit to the floor. “And it’s going to take a couple of months just to make the dresses once I get it. We’re not pressed for time, but I can’t really waste any, either. Especially if I’m making your cloak on top of that.”

“… if?”

Courtney glanced at her. “You never told me that you for sure wanted it. Do you?”

She nodded.

“Well, good news is that it’s easy enough to make.” Courtney turned back to Taylor, making another note on her pad. “I’ll have to measure you too, though, to make sure it fits.”

“Oh, good.” Taylor smiled widely at Max. “You have to participate in everyone’s humiliation.”

Courtney rolled her eyes. “Taylor, you’re getting fitted for a custom dress. This is HARDLY humiliating.”

A chime sounded throughout the apartment. “Alexa, who’s at the door?” Taylor asked loudly.

Her TV, which had been tuned to a news station on low volume, switched to the feed from her doorbell. It showed Kate and Steph peering into the camera closely, the fisheye lens distorting the video. “ _-doesn’t look like my Ring,_ ” Kate was saying. “ _I don’t see a button to press._ ”

“ _No, I’ve seen these online. It’s Amazon’s new doorbell._ ” Steph waved her hand in front of it. “ _I think it’s motion-activated. Like, it goes off as soon as you step in front of it._ ”

“ _So… what? Can she see us?_ ”

Taylor smirked as she tapped a button on her smartwatch. “Yes, I can see you.”

Kate and Steph both flinched in surprise, as they took involuntary steps back. Alice’s smiling face took their place. “ _Lemme in!_ ” she yelled.

“What’s the password?” Taylor asked connivingly.

“ _I want a pretty dress!_ ”

Victoria and Max both started laughing as Taylor chuckled, lowering her watch. “Alexa, open the door.”

The front door clicked and swung open. “… woah,” Steph breathed as she stepped through, looking at the mechanism over her head. “Man, Taylor, you’ve got some real Star Trek vibes going on in here. I need to get one of these.”

“Is that some new Amazon smart-house thing?” Kate asked curiously. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“No. It actually came with the apartment.” Taylor shrugged. “It’s-”

“Hey!” Courtney grabbed Taylor’s arms, putting them back to where they were. “I didn’t tell you that you could move. Keep your hands up.”

“Ugh!” Taylor huffed as she complied. “You’re a real bitch when you’re working.”

“That’s a bad word!” Alice called out as she ran over to the couch, taking a seat beside Max. “Can I get my dress now?”

“That’s not how it works,” Kate reminded her. “Courtney still has to make it. And she needs to measure you first.”

“Yes, I do. You can put your arms down now.” Courtney slung the tape measure around her neck. “What’s your shoe size?”

Taylor perked up. “For the boots?”

“Yes, for the boots.”

“Nine. What kind are you getting?”

“The kind that I give you.” Courtney rolled her eyes as she scribbled the number down. “And you’re gonna shut up and like them.”

* * *

“So did Amazon pay for EVERYTHING in here?”

Taylor smirked as she leaned into the couch beside Kate, sipping her own coffee. “No. I did.”

“Then why does everything in here have the Amazon logo?” Victoria looked around the kitchen, taking everything in. “I didn’t even know Amazon made ovens. Or dishwashers, or coffee makers, or… Jesus, is this really an Amazon fridge?”

“It’s part of our new line of smart-house products. They’re going up for sale on the website in a couple of months.” Taylor shrugged. “The tech guys needed to get some beta-testing knocked out, but it’s the kind of thing that they’re really picky about, when it comes to who gets to do it. Confidentiality and all.”

“And they just… picked you?”

“I was already planning the move. And I’m high enough on the totem pole that they’re confident I won’t invite competitors over to take pictures.”

Steph frowned as she stood in front of them, her arms out as Courtney took measurements. “What do you even do with a smart fridge?” she asked. “I don’t see the- hey!”

Everyone looked over as Courtney tightened the tape measure around Steph’s chest. “Stop moving,” she ordered.

“What the hell, man? You at least gonna buy me dinner?”

“You want your dress to fit properly or not?”

Steph shook her head as Courtney loosened the tape, jotting down the number. “As I was saying, before I was molested. I honestly don’t see a point in having a WiFi-connected refrigerator.” She looked at Taylor. “What do you even do with it?”

Taylor craned her neck to look over the couch. “Alexa, put the weather and news on my fridge.”

The screen beside Victoria blinked to life, and showed the current weather, as well as a list of top stories. “Okay, that’s kind of cool,” she allowed, as she touched the screen and scrolled through them. “You have recipes saved in here too?”

“Yep. The idea is that with future models, the fridge will be able to scan all your food to suggest what you should have for dinner,” Taylor explained. “And give you alerts when you’re running low on groceries, or you’ve got something that’s expired.”

“And push ads for stuff you don’t actually need,” Courtney offered absently, as she measured across Steph’s shoulders.

Taylor rolled her eyes. “Welcome to capitalism. You must be new here.”

“Those are annoying, though,” Kate agreed. “My sister, Jessica, has one of your Fire tablets. She hates the ads that pop up.”

“We make versions of that tablet without them.”

“Yea, and charge extra for the feature.”

Taylor shrugged again. “Hey, I didn’t make it. Or set the prices. I just help sell them.”

“All done,” Courtney announced as she took Steph’s final measurement. “Who’s next?”

“Me!” Alice jumped up from the couch. “My turn!”

The other snorted in amusement. “Okay, kid,” Courtney allowed. “Let’s get you right here. I’ll bet you can hold still better than everyone else.”

* * *

Everyone’s measurements were done a couple of hours later

“So how long to actually make the dresses?” Victoria asked, as they sat around Taylor’s kitchen table over a pizza dinner.

Courtney held a hand to her mouth, as she chewed and swallowed. “Like I told you guys, at least a couple of months,” she replied to Victoria. “I’ve got other stuff I’m working on, too.”

“And my cloak?” Max asked.

“That’ll only be a couple of days. Like I said, they’ll not hard.” She shrugged. “I’ll send you some samples to pick from.”

“So they’ll be done by no later than the end of November?” Victoria pressed.

“Oh, yea.” Courtney nodded. “Why?”

Victoria and Max exchanged glances. “Should I do it now?” Victoria asked quietly.

Max shrugged. “Might as well.”

“Okay.”

Victoria stood and went to her purse, retrieving a series of envelopes. The others watched her curiously, as she returned to the table. “What are you doing?” Steph asked, puzzled. “What are those?”

“Just a second.” Victoria held them behind her back. “I, uh… I’m not sure how to start.”

Taylor snorted. “From the beginning.”

“… know what? Good a place as any.” Victoria took a breath. “I can’t tell you guys how thrilled we are, that you all agreed to be our bridesmaids.” she added. “It… really, really means a lot to both of us, especially me, that you guys are all here. Even after everything I’ve done to you guys in the past.”

The others looked at each other. “Vic, we forgave you for all that a long time ago,” Courtney told her gently.

“I still broke your nose, when you were just trying to help. I’ll never forgive myself for that.” Victoria looked at Taylor. “Or stealing your mother’s necklace. Thinking about that makes me sick.”

Taylor had a kind expression on her face, as she shook her head. “Seriously, Vic, that’s water under the bridge.”

“That doesn’t change how I feel.” She glanced at Kate. “Especially when it comes with what I did to you, Kate. I still lose sleep at night for that.”

“You shouldn’t,” Kate told her. “Blackwell was over a decade ago, Victoria. Besides, by now I think I owe you, not the other way around.”

“I’ll never see it that way. Not after all the heinous stuff I did.” Victoria turned to Steph. “And maybe I didn’t do anything bad to you, but you helped me stay clean when I got out of rehab. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay you for that.”

Steph squirmed uncomfortably. “It was nothing.”

“No, it was everything,” Victoria corrected her. “Besides, I know I wasn’t the easiest person to sponsor.”

“You weren’t that bad, really.”

“Nevertheless.” She pulled out the envelopes from behind her back. “Max and I were trying to figure out what to get all of you guys as bridesmaid gifts, but whenever we thought of something, I always felt like it was never enough to show how much you all mean to me. So… I talked to our wedding planner, and had her whip something up.”

With that, she passed out the envelopes, each one having the name of a bridesmaid on it. “Wait, are the jackets not our gifts?” Steph asked as she took her envelope.

Max smirked. “The jackets are so you guys don’t freeze during the ceremony.”

“I mean, yea, but they’re really-”

“Steph?” Victoria interrupted. “Just open your envelope.”

Her and the others complied, as the broke through the adhesives. “Shit!” Taylor exclaimed as she pulled out the contents.

“Bad word!” Alice piped up.

“Victoria! Are you kidding me?!” Kate gasped, as she looked up. “Are these seriously first-class tickets?!”

“Yes.”

“To… wait, what’s HNL?”

“That’s Honolulu!” Courtney glanced up. “Are these fucking legit!?”

“That’s another bad word!”

Victoria cleared her throat. “We’ve got reservations at a resort on Oahu for five days. The weekend before the wedding.”

“… holy shit,” Steph breathed, as she held her ticket.

“Bad word!”

“Alice, not now,” Kate shushed her. “Victoria, this is incredibly generous, but I don’t know if I can just leave Alice here to run off and-”

“Your envelope should have a second ticket,” Victoria interrupted.

“It…” Kate dug back in. “… oh. Oh my God, it does.”

“Well, shit.” Courtney looked up, a huge grin on her face. “I don’t know if I can get time off, but if I can’t, I’m quitting.”

Victoria smirked. “The tickets are mostly symbolic. My father’s letting us use one of his private planes.”

“Yea, so if there are any conflicts you can’t get out of, we can change the dates,” Max added.

“Okay, hang on.” Kate set the envelope down. “Victoria, this is incredibly generous. But you really did NOT have to go this far.”

“I know.” Victoria shrugged. “But I want to. Especially after everything, and how you guys have all been there for me.” She smirked as she glanced at Max. “Besides, my fiancée has never been to Hawaii, which is really depressing.”

Max rolled her eyes. “Yea, how sad,” she remarked dryly.

“I’ve never been either.” Steph looked up. “Jesus, I never thought I’d ever go. I don’t even know what to wear to Hawaii.”

Taylor snorted. “Uh, a bathing suit, for starters.”

“I don’t think I even own one.”

“What?!” Courtney jerked her head up. “How the hell do you not own a bathing suit?!”

“I don’t go to the beach!” Steph said defensively. “Why the hell would I?”

“For pool parties?”

“What the fuck makes you think I go to pool parties?!”

Alice looked at Kate. “Can I say bad words now?” she asked curiously.

“No, you may not.” Kate inhaled slowly, as she examined the tickets. “… I’ve never been to Hawaii either.”

“It’s gonna be fun,” Victoria assured her. “We’ll hit the beaches, go to a luau, get some spa treatments, there’s all kinds of cool stuff to do.” She glanced at Alice. “There’s even a children’s sleepover event while we’re there, so we can have some fun adult time.”

Alice perked up. “A sleepover?”

“Yep. The kids eat pizza and junk food at a playground outside. And watch movies on a big inflatable screen.”

“I wanna go!” Alice grabbed Kate’s arm and shook it. “Mom can we go?? Please??”

Kate slowly smirked. “… I can’t think of an excuse not to.”

“Yay!!”

* * *

**Steph:** I just thought about something. This Hawaii thing means that we’ll both be gone from the rehab center at the same time.

 **Max:** I already discussed it with Jerry. We’ve got a mutual friend who still works directly with rich families, and she’s agreed to fill in for the month of December.

 **Steph:** The whole month?

 **Max:** She might as well. Between the trip, the wedding, and the honeymoon, I’ll be gone until January.

 **Steph:** You guys already have a honeymoon planned too?

 **Max:** I don’t. Victoria does. She planned the whole thing.

 **Steph:** All of it? She didn’t include you?

 **Max:** She said it’s a surprise. All I know is that we’re not leaving the country, we’ll be back in the first week of January, and I have to bring a heavy jacket.

 **Steph:** Well, that’s nice and vague.

 **Steph:** Maybe you’re doing a cruise?

 **Max:** I thought about it. But she mentioned a plane ride, so I don’t think so.

 **Steph:** Sounds like you’re going to another tourist city.

 **Max:** That’s what I think. I just don’t know where.

 **Max:** You found a bathing suit yet?

 **Steph:** No. I was waiting for the end of the summer, so they go on sale.

 **Max:** You gonna get the girl you’re dating to help you out? :)

 **Steph:** … hmm. That’s not a terrible idea.

 **Max:** So it’s going well.

 **Steph:** I think so. She hasn’t run screaming yet, so that’s a good sign.

 **Max:** Come on, you’re not that bad of a girlfriend.

 **Steph:** I hope not.

 **Max:** Do we need to give you a plus-one?

 **Steph:** NO.

 **Max:** Oh, come on.

 **Steph:** I refuse to conform to that stereotype.

 **Max:** It’ll have been six months. That’s NOT moving too fast.

 **Steph:** I’m not gonna take the ‘not that fast’ advice of the girl who was literally living with her fiancée after two months.

 **Max:** We weren’t dating!

 **Steph:** Oh, right. Just sleeping together and kissing.

 **Max:** … shut up.

* * *

**Max:** How’s it going?

 **Brooke:** I got my sixty-day chip a couple of weeks ago.

 **Max:** Congratulations!

 **Brooke:** Yea. Kinda feels like a hollow victory, though.

 **Max:** Is Warren still mad?

 **Brooke:** He says he’s not. But I know he still is.

 **Brooke:** He’s still on the couch. And he barely talks to me unless he has to. I’m really not sure what I’m supposed to do.

 **Max:** I know it’s hard to hear, Brooke, but you did a pretty terrible thing. It might take him a while to get over it.

 **Brooke:** … I know.

 **Max:** How’s counseling?

 **Brooke:** Okay, I guess. I lost track of the number of times I apologized for what I did.

 **Max:** And the hospital?

 **Brooke:** It sucks.

 **Max:** What’s wrong?

 **Brooke:** Literally nobody wants to work with me. My new department head is the only other doctor who will talk to me.

 **Brooke:** I’m not allowed to prescribe anything stronger than an Ibuprofen. And I have to be accompanied by a nurse at all times.

 **Max:** I’m sorry. But you know it takes time to gain trust back.

 **Brooke:** I get that. This still sucks. I’m pretty sure they’re reviewing everything I do, looking for a reason to fire me.

 **Max:** Then don’t give them one. Warren said you were one of the best residents in the hospital.

 **Brooke:** Because I was on Ritalin.

 **Max:** Being sober makes you a better person, not a worse one. You can get through this.

 **Brooke:** I guess we’ll find out.


	27. Pay Raise

**September 4 th, 2024**

“I didn’t realize that you were so close to your degree.”

Maya nodded as she sat across from Max’s desk. “Me either, honestly,” she admitted. “It snuck up on me. I didn’t know I was approaching my last classes until my student advisor sent me an application to graduate.”

“When do you graduate?” Tina asked curiously, from her seat on Max’s couch. Jerry sat beside her, listening.

“Next month.”

“With what kind of GPA?”

“I mean, I won’t know until I pass my last classes.” Maya paused. “But unless I bomb them, my advisor says I’ll probably graduate Magna Cum Laude.”

“Congratulations.” Jerry nodded. “That’s not easy. Especially with a BSN.”

“Thank you.”

“Have you started studying for the RN exam?”

“Yea. I think I’ll be able to take it in a few months.”

“Good luck. It took my cousin two tries.”

“… great.” Maya sighed, before she turned back to Max. “Anyway. That was why I wanted to talk. I mean, I’ve really enjoyed this job, but…”

“You feel like you’re about to be overqualified,” Max surmised. “And after busting your ass for your degree, you want to do something with it.”

Maya nodded. “Pretty much.”

“Have you thought about what else you want to do?”

“A little.” She itched the back of her head. “When I applied for my classes, I initially saw myself working in a hospital. Or… the Army does a thing specifically for nurses, to go back to active-duty as an officer.”

“Do you want that?”

“Not really. But having the option is… appealing, I guess.”

“I get that.” Max leaned back in her seat. “Well, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we would much rather keep you. You’ve been a real asset since you got here. And quite frankly, I don’t know if there are any other CNAs on the job market who can handle difficult patients like you can.”

Maya smirked. “You mean putting them on their asses?”

“Yes. That is exactly what I mean.” Max smirked back. “Is there any way we can convince you to stay?”

“Maybe,” Maya agreed. “I wouldn’t mind a bump in pay. Especially if I’m hard to replace.”

“Way to weaken our bargaining position, Max,” Jerry remarked dryly.

Max winced. “… I’m a little new at this.”

“All right.” Tina leaned forward. “Maya, you do make a good point. And we do value you as an employee. So we’re going to discuss it further, and if we decide that we want to keep you here, we’ll make you a reasonable offer by the end of the week. How does that sound?”

Maya nodded. “Works for me.”

“Fantastic. Do you mind joining Steph, then?” Tina checked her watch. “We’re accepting a new patient in about ten minutes, and my understanding is that he’ll be less than thrilled to be here.”

“Sure thing.”

With that, she stood and left the office, gently closing the door behind her.

“You still there, Walter?” Tina asked out loud, looking at Max’s phone.

Noise came through the speaker, as her cousin, their business manager, unmuted his phone. “ _Yep. Thanks for letting me listen in._ ”

“What do you think?”

“ _That we probably should’ve seen this coming,_ ” he stated. “ _And that Max definitely needs to mind her words when talking to employees about potential raises._ ”

Max threw her hands up. “I said I was sorry.”

“ _I know. Future reference._ ” He paused. “ _Look, Seattle isn’t exactly short on CNAs looking for work, so it’s not like we’d be hard-pressed to find a replacement. But from what I heard, it sounds like her other talents make her a pretty vital employee._ ”

“She is.” Jerry leaned forward. “I agree with Max, that we do want to keep her. But to be honest, we take advantage of her skills as a peacekeeper more than a CNA. And we can probably hire a security guard for less than what we would pay her as a nurse.”

“That’s true, but a security guard doesn’t count as medical personnel,” Tina countered. “Which we need to keep on-site at all times, per state regulations.”

“What about just keeping her here as an RN?” Max asked curiously. “My last rehab center had a doctor on the staff.”

“ _And how much bigger that Tranquility were they?_ ” Walter asked.

She winced. “… a lot.”

“Plus, they charge way more than we do.” Tina paused. “On the other hand, having a nurse on the staff isn’t a bad idea. Walter, how many insurance agencies won’t cover us because we didn’t have one?”

“ _Two or three._ ”

“And much do we pay her now?” Jerry asked. “Versus what we’d pay for an RN?”

“ _Hang on._ ” They listened to Walter clicking computer keys in the background. “ _Let’s see, expenses… payroll… there she is. Currently at sixteen bucks an hour. But I don’t know how much an RN costs._ ”

“Triple that,” Tina answered. “I think the average in this state is somewhere between forty and forty-five an hour.”

Jerry winced. “Oof.”

“But would the extra money we’d get from those providers covering treatment make up for her added salary?” Max asked.

Tina shrugged. “Probably, yea. But if she ever goes on vacation, we’ll have to hire a temp.”

“Then we’ll hire a temp.” Max glanced at Jerry. “I think she’s worth it. She’s stopped what, a dozen patients from fighting since she’s been here?”

“Something like that.” Jerry nodded. “I’m not saying she isn’t worth it. I’m wondering if we can afford her at that rate.”

“Gotta spend money to make money,” Max reminded him. “Or so I’ve heard, anyway.”

“ _I do remember some of my professors saying so,_ ” Walter remarked dryly.

“I’m not arguing that,” Jerry protested. “I just-”

A muffled yelling came through Max’s office door, interrupting whatever Jerry was about to say and drawing their attention. “What the hell was that?” Tina asked.

“ _What the hell was what?_ ”

“Something’s happening downstairs, Walter,” Max answered as they stood up. “We’ll call you right back.”

Jerry got to the door as she hung up. The yelling increased in volume as he pulled it open. “-NOT FUCKING STAYING HERE!!” a man screamed from the first floor. “LEAVE ME ALONE!!”

“Jason!” Max heard Steph yell sharply. “Stop this! You aren’t-”

“DON’T TOUCH ME, BITCH!!”

Max raced to the railing, looking down into the lobby. Steph was facing a man in dirty jeans and a worn work shirt, open to see the white undershirt beneath it. Maya was on his other side, slowly circling him as he screamed.

“Jason, please!” An older woman behind him begged. “This isn’t you! We just want-”

“FUCK YOU!” He snorted, rubbing his nose as his head jerked in every direction. “YOU CAN’T MAKE ME BE HERE! I KNOW MY RIGHTS!”

“He’s tweaking,” Tina said quickly, as she pulled a cell phone from her pocket. “I’m calling the cops.”

“Better tell them to hurry.” Max turned and raced for the stairs, taking them two at a time, Jerry right behind her. She passed a few of their other patients, all of them standing at the railing and watching what was happening below them.

“We just want you to stay out of jail!” The older woman wailed, as Max finally got to the ground level, rounding the corner to take in the scene. “Jason, please!”

“I DIDN’T FUCKING ASK YOU, MOM!! LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!”

“Jason!” Steph barked, trying to get his attention as she circled behind him. “Jason, stop yelling at your mother! All she wants is for you to-”

“I DON’T FUCKING CARE! I AIN’T WANTIN’ TO BE HERE!”

“You have to!” His mother cried. “You heard what the judge said! They’ll put you in prison!”

“THOSE BITCHES AIN’T PUTTIN’ ME IN SHIT!!”

“Ok, hey, HEY,” Steph called, as she stepped into his view beside him, reaching out in a calming gesture. “Jason, why don’t we sit for a few minutes. Come on, it’s been a long day. Let’s just sit down for-”

Max blinked, and he was already swinging. His fist moved fast as he punched in an uppercut, socking Steph in the stomach so hard that her feet left the ground. She barely got out a gasp before she dropped like a stone. “NO!” his mother screamed. “Jason, STOP!”

“FUCK YOU!” He grabbed the older woman by her shoulders, manhandling her roughly. “MOVE!”

“Ow, ow, Jason that hurts, you’re HURTING me-”

In a flash, Maya was behind him. She lashed out with a foot, kicking the back of his leg and forcing him to drop onto his knee. Jason didn’t get a chance to stand again before the CNA jumped on him, wrapping him in a full nelson.

Max got there just as he struggled upright, swinging wildly. Not wanting to get anywhere near him, she ran for Steph instead. The brunette was still curled up on the floor, mouth open in a silent cry of pain. Her face was purple, and her neck veins strained against her skin as she clutched her stomach and tried to breath. Max grabbed her by the armpit and dragged her away from the fighting as fast as she could.

Jerry ran for the reception desk, throwing open the top drawer. He came up with a taser before stepping back around the desk, aiming it at Jason. “No!” his mother screamed as she threw herself at him and grabbed for his arm. “Don’t!"

“St-” Jerry struggled to free himself. “Stop! It’s just a taser!”

“Don’t shoot him! Please!”

“Get off of me!”

Jason continued to struggle against Maya, as he swung his arms wildly. He finally turned around and threw himself backwards into the nearby wall. Maya grunted as her hold on him loosened, and he managed to free an elbow and smash it backwards into the CNA’s face. She fell to the ground behind him.

Jerry saw what was happened and managed to shove Jason’s mother off him, just long enough to aim the taser and pull the trigger. Metal probes flew across the room and stabbed Jason right in the chest. Max heard the crackling of electricity a she continued to drag Steph away.

It didn’t seem to have much of an effect. Jason’s chest tightened as he roared in anger, grabbing the wires and yanking the probes from his skin before throwing them to the floor. Then he reached down and picked up a small end table from beside the couch, knocking over the potted plant that had been sitting on it. Rearing back, he chucked it as hard as he could.

Jerry dropped the taser and ducked sideways as the table flew past him, shattering against the wall and denting the plaster. He grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and held it in a blocking manner as Jason, still roaring unintelligibly, stalked closer with clenched fists.

He was only a few feet away before Maya flew past Max, who was still dragging Steph, and tackled Jason’s legs. The force of the impact knocked him to the ground. She scrambled to her feet as he started pushing himself upright, then grabbed his shoulder and brutally slammed her knee into the side of his head.

Jason collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, face-first into the floor. Maya stood over him, panting heavily as blood ran down her face.

“… shit,” Jerry breathed. “Are you okay?”

“Yea.” She touched her nose gently. “Motherfucker.”

“JASON!!” His mother screamed as she ran towards him, dropping to the floor and grabbing his shoulder. She shook roughly, but he didn’t stir, and she glanced up at Maya. “You KILLED HIM!!”

“No, I didn’t.”

“YOU KILLED MY SON!!”

“He’s not dead. He’s just unconscious.” Jerry set down the fire extinguisher and stepped over, kneeling to check Jason’s pulse. “He’ll be fine.”

Steph finally gasped at Max’s feet, sucking in a deep lungful of air. “… fuuuuuuuuuck,” she wheezed.

“Steph!” Max dropped to her knees and rolled the brunette onto her back. “Are you all right?”

“Hurts.” Steph clutched at her stomach, as she struggled to breath. “Ow.”

“Easy. Just breath.” Max rubbed her shoulder. “You’ll be okay. Just keep breathing.”

“Yea.” Steph grunted, as she winced in pain. “You should… see the other guy.”

* * *

“You ought to get that looked at.”

Maya shook her head as she sat on the couch in their lobby, holding a bloody towel to her face. “I’m fine.”

“I’m serious.” The male EMT examined her nose. “It’s definitely broken.”

“I know.”

Max sighed, as she stood behind the EMT. “Maya, go with them to the ER. Have the doctors fix that.”

“I don’t need a doctor.” Maya took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “I got it.”

“You do NOT got it, your nose is broken. You need to get it-”

Maya reached up as Max was speaking, slowing taking hold of her nose. She took another deep breath before she grimaced and slowly wrenched it back into place, the grinding noise making Max nauseous.

“… fuck,” The EMT breathed.

“Ow.” Maya put the towel back on her face. “Shit.”

“God, Maya, really?!” Max exclaimed. “Come on!”

“It’s okay. I’ve done it before.” Maya put one hand on her knee and pushed herself upright. “I’m gonna get some ice from the break room.”

The EMT stood as Maya walked away, then glanced at Max. “She does martial arts, doesn’t she?”

“How’d you know?”

“We get calls to MMA places all the time. Those guys are all proud of themselves for being able to reset their own busted noses.” He stepped over to his partner, who was examining Steph as she lay down on the other couch. “How are we here?”

“Fine, I think.” The female EMT felt Steph’s exposed stomach with gloved hands. “No rigidity. And I don’t see any signs of internal bleeding.”

“Ow.” Steph winced as she was poked in the stomach again. “That hurts.”

“It’ll probably hurt for a while. You’re gonna have a nice bruise in a few hours.”

Jerry appeared behind them, walking beside a cop. “How’s Steph?” he asked.

“Wonderful.” Steph pulled her shirt back down, then grabbed the back of the couch and slowly pulled herself upright. A pained look was on her face the whole time. “Christ, I feel like I just finished a thousand sit-ups.”

“I bet. That guy hit you hard.”

“No shit.”

The officer cleared his throat. “Does she need to go to the hospital?”

“It doesn’t look like it.” The EMT stripped her gloves as she stood. “If the pain in your stomach gets any worse, definitely go to an ER. But it looks like you’ll be fine.”

“How’s Jason?” Max asked.

“Concussion. And a triple-digit resting heart rate.” The officer held up an evidence bag with a small glass vial of white powder. “We found this in his mother’s car.”

“What is it? Meth?”

“No. It field-tested positive as PCP.” The cop glanced at Jerry. “Which is probably why the taser didn’t affect him. His muscles were contracting too tightly for the probes to fully penetrate.”

Jerry sighed. “Go figure.”

“In any case, he’ll be taken into custody when the hospital discharges him. And we’ve already arrested his mother. She admitted to buying the drugs so he could take one more hit before he came in.” The cop shrugged. “He was already on probation, so I don’t think you guys will see him back here for a while.”

Max glanced between Jerry and Steph. “I know I’m not the boss, but I move we go ahead and say he’s no longer welcome here.”

Steph raised her hand weakly. “Seconded.”

The cop chuckled quietly, as he produced a card. “Here, this is the number for the desk sergeant. He’ll get you guys a copy of the police report for your insurance.”

“I’ll take that.” Jerry accepted the card. “Tina and Walter are already on the phone with our carrier anyway.”

“Okay.” Max patted Steph’s shoulder. “I’ll drive you home in a little bit. Jerry and I are gonna go take care of something.”

“We are?”

“Yea. Come on.”

* * *

Half an hour later, Max, Jerry, and Tina entered their employee break room. Maya was still sitting on their couch with a Ziploc bag full of ice pressed against her nose. She glanced up as they all walked in.

“We were talking upstairs, before the fight, about keeping you here as an RN,” Max told her. “Having one on our staff would be helpful, in terms of insurance.”

“But we’re not a hundred percent on how much it would pan out, in terms of benefits to cost,” Tina continued. “You understand, right?”

Maya nodded.

“So, here’s our offer. When you become an RN, we’ll double your pay to thirty an hour for the first six months. If we decided to keep you on after that, we’ll make it thirty-five.”

The blonde lowered the ice bag, revealing the dried blood still on her face. “I want to start at thirty-three. Then go up to forty if you decide I’m worth it. Which is still below average for this state.”

Tina pursed her lips, then glanced at Jerry. “… she did just save your ass.”

He sighed. “Can’t argue with that.”

“Fine.” She turned back to Maya. “Thirty-three to start.”

Maya smirked. “Deal.”

* * *

“Why the hell didn’t you rewind?!”

Max blinked, as Victoria looked at her with an incredulous expression. “… I’m sorry?”

“A crazed druggie started tearing up your lobby! And almost killed Steph!”

“He punched her ONCE.”

“Well, I’m sure she would’ve appreciated it more if he hadn’t punched her at all!”

Max sighed. “… it happened too fast,” she admitted. “I mean, the fight was literally less than a minute long.”

“Still!”

“I was on the third floor, Victoria. And I was in the middle of a meeting. The fight was two floors down, a hundred feet away. What was I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know!” Victoria’s face flushed. “Get there earlier and stop him from coming into the building!”

“How would I have explained that to Maya and Steph?”

“Then run out of the meeting and call the cops sooner!”

“And how would I have explained that to Jerry and Tina?”

“You… FUCK, Max!” Victoria stood from her seat on the couch and paced in front of the brunette. “I don’t know, SOMETHING!”

“Hey. Hey, look at me.” Max stood and grabbed Victoria’s hand, forcing the blonde to stop. “There wasn’t anything I could have done. It happened too fast, too far away. Everyone is okay, and the end results are about as good as we possibly could have hoped for. Please take a breath.”

Victoria obeyed, slowly exhaling through her nose. “… sorry,” she muttered.

“It’s okay.”

“I just…” Victoria looked at her. “I know working with addicts can be dangerous. But you guys run such a nice rehab center. I never thought anything like that would happen to you.”

Max sighed. “I know. It’s rare. But I am fine. And so are the others.”

“Steph and Maya aren’t.”

“Steph will be.” Max waved her phone. “I asked her ten minutes ago, how she was doing. She’s camped out on her couch with a bag of ice on her stomach, watching Netflix. And Maya’s fine too; she’s taking tomorrow off, but she’ll be back the day after.”

“What about the asshole?”

“Cops said they were gonna charge him with assault and battery. He’s no longer our problem.”

“Good.” Victoria relaxed. “Okay. I guess I’m done freaking out now. He’s not going back to your rehab, right?”

“No.” Max shook her head. “He’s gonna be in jail for a while. He’ll sober up in there. And if he still does need rehab when he gets out, he can find it someplace else.”

“All right.” Victoria sat back down on the couch. “Maya really laid into him, huh?”

“A knee shot STRAIGHT to his head,” Max emphasized. “I was a little worried that she’d killed him, for a second.”

Victoria hummed in thought. “Maybe you should take some MMA classes with her.”

Max shrugged. “Not interested.”

“Think about it, though. If you knew how to fight AND you could rewind time?” Victoria smirked. “Then you really would be a superhero!”

Max looked at her, exasperated. “Really?”

“Hell yea. We could make you a costume and everything.” Victoria looked up. “They’ll call you… shit. Time Lady?”

“That’s dumb.”

“Time Bandit?”

“That makes me sound like a bad guy.”

“Time Lord?”

“Pretty sure that’s copyrighted.”

“Ooh!” Victoria perked up. “Blockbuster!”

“What?!” Max did a double take. “What the hell? How the hell did you get a superhero named Blockbuster?”

“Their old motto.” Victoria grinned. “You could be kind and rewind.”

Max blinked. “… that is the lamest thing you have ever said.”

“Is not.”

“It really, really is.”

* * *

**Courtney:** Look what just got delivered!

**Courtney:** <pic1.jpg>

**Victoria:** Is that the fabric?!

**Courtney:** Yep. The nicest and most expensive material we’ve ever worked with.

**Courtney:** I’ve got junior designers literally fighting to help me make your dresses.

**Victoria:** Awesome!!

**Victoria:** You did get everything you need, right? Measurement-wise?

**Courtney:** I did. I’m gonna start cutting tomorrow.

**Victoria:** Do you need anything else?

**Courtney:** Well, I’ve got the boots picked out. If you want to go ahead and buy them and the jackets with your Amex, that would speed things along.

**Victoria:** Send me the websites and sizes. I’ll do it tonight.

**Courtney:** Perfect.

**Victoria:** Where do I send them? To everyone, our condo, what?

**Courtney:** To my office. I’ll hold onto everything until the wedding. That way we don’t risk someone losing something.

**Victoria:** You’re gonna upset the others. They seem pretty excited for this extra stuff.

**Courtney:** Those crybabies will be fine. I’m not risking Steph or Taylor spilling coffee on their jackets before the wedding.

**Victoria:** You’re not worried about Kate?

**Courtney:** Are YOU?

**Victoria:** … touché.


	28. Helena

**September 21 st, 2024**

“ _It can’t have been twenty-nine years already!!_ ”

Max rolled her eyes as she sat on the couch beside Victoria, who had an amused expression on her face. “Can we skip this, Mom? Just for one year?”

“ _This can’t be happening!!_ ” Her mother continued to wail. “ _I’m only thirty-nine! I’m too young for this!_ ”

“You’re fifty-six, Mom.”

“ _Twenty-seven hours of labor! Years of raising my adorable little child! It can’t have passed by so quickly!_ ”

“Didn’t she say it was twenty-five hours last year?” Victoria asked curiously.

Max rolled her eyes again. “I know. It gets longer every time. And I thought you were crammed full of painkillers?”

“ _Listen here, Maxine Amelia Caulfield, you weighed almost ten pounds when I pushed you out,_ ” her mother lectured. “ _Next time you go grocery shopping, find a ten-pound ham and hold it in your hands. Then ask yourself if there’s enough morphine in the WORLD to keep you from feeling that thing get pushed out your hoo-hah._ ”

Victoria snorted and started laughing, clutching her side. “Gross!!” Max exclaimed disgustedly. “Seriously?!”

“ _No, the gross part was the diaper I had to wear afterwards, for the leakage. I didn’t think your father would ever want to have sex again._ ”

“MOM!!”

“ _Oh, speaking of which, your dad’s next. Hang on._ ”

Max put her head in her hands as the phone line rustled with noise. “… I think I’ve just been traumatized,” she muttered.

“I know!” Victoria cackled. “Oh, God, I’m so happy to be here right now!”

“Shut up!”

“ _Gimme, gimme!_ ” Ryan came onto the line. “ _It’s my adorable almost-middle-aged daughter!_ ”

“Jesus.” Max sighed heavily, as she picked her head back up. A pained expression was on her face. “Thanks for that, Dad. Just the reminder I needed.”

“ _Has it really been so long?! Has time really flown by so quickly?!_ ”

“Not quickly enough for this conversation.”

“ _You know, Max, if you saw firsthand what you did to your mom, you might be a little more appreciative of these talks._ ”

Max shivered. “Can we talk about literally anything else? Please?”

“ _If you really want._ ” Ryan paused. “ _Though for the record, while the diaper was gross, I didn’t stop wanting your mother._ ”

“Great. Lovely. That’s absolutely heartwarming.” Max dropped the phone in Victoria’s lap. “Talk to my fiancée. I’m gonna go crack my skull open and pour a gallon of bleach over my brain.”

Victoria was still snickering as Max stood and walked into their bathroom, shutting the door. “Hi, Ryan.”

“ _Hey Victoria. Did Max really leave?_ ”

“She’s in the bathroom. Don’t worry, we don’t keep the bleach in there.”

Ryan chuckled. “ _Well, at our age, messing with your kids is a great source of entertainment._ ”

“I can tell. How’s Texas?”

“ _Ugh. Warm. And humid._ ” Ryan sighed. “ _I don’t know why it’s so muggy, either. Houston isn’t THAT close to the Gulf._ ”

“Are you enjoying the conference?”

“ _Not really, no. It’s incredibly boring. But at least Vanessa and I get to explore when we’re done for the day. You girls should check this city out sometime, it’s pretty interesting._ ”

Victoria hummed. “I’ve only been to Texas a couple of times, mostly passing through Dallas. Though I’ve heard pretty good things about Austin.”

“ _Us too. Unfortunately, they’re a little too far away to visit for this trip. Oh, did our present get there yet?_ ”

“No. Was it supposed to?”

“ _Sometime today, according to the tracking number._ ”

“Well, it’s barely noon. They’ve still got time.” Victoria nodded. “When are you guys coming back again?”

“ _This next Monday. When can we take you guys out for Max’s birthday dinner?_ ”

“Any day that week, so long as it’s after six.”

“ _We’ll figure something out then. What are you guys doing tonight?_ ”

“My dad wants to take us to a restaurant, too,” Victoria mentioned. “Someplace fancy, because he asked us to dress nice.”

“ _Speaking of dressing nice, did you get Vanessa’s email?_ ”

“What email?”

“ _She sent it last night. It’s the outfits that we wanted to wear for the wedding. We wanted to make sure you and Max were good with them._ ”

“Come on, Ryan. You don’t need our approval.”

“ _Maybe not, but we still want it._ ”

“In any case, I haven’t checked my email today. Hang on.” Victoria retrieved her phone and brought up her email app, noticing the one she had from Vanessa. She opened it to see a picture of a dark blue dress and a sharp-looking black tuxedo. “Wow. Looks good.”

Max opened the bathroom door on the tail end of her last sentence, wiping water from her face. “What looks good?” she asked cautiously.

“Oh, your mom sent me an email of some lingerie she wanted to buy for your dad.” Victoria looked up from her phone. “Want to see?”

“L- what?!” Max stammered. “Are you kidding me?!”

Ryan’s booming laugh radiated from the phone in Victoria’s other hand. “ _Oh! She said there were toys, too!_ ” he yelled enthusiastically. “ _Vanessa said she wanted to try something called pegging, but she won’t tell me what it means!"_

“ARGH!!” Max clutched her forehead with both hands, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. “What is WRONG with you people?!”

* * *

“How’s your lamb, Max?”

“Amazing,” Max gushed as she took another bite. “You were right. This might be the best thing I’ve ever had.”

“I know.” Mary sounded pleased as she took a bite from her own plate. “I have to get it whenever we come here. Which isn’t nearly often enough, by the way,” she added with a look towards her husband.

Derek shrugged indifferently. “Well, we have to dress up to eat here. Makes it a little inconvenient.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow as she looked over his outfit. “Don’t you wear a suit every day?”

“Yes. And every day, I look forward to changing into more comfortable clothes when I get home.”

Max chuckled as she had another bite. Mary and Derek were treating them to a dinner at a restaurant next to the Puget Sound, and they had a table that was right next to the water. “This lamb might be worth keeping it on for,” she mentioned.

“Well, then you and Mary can get dressed up and come here together.” Derek smirked. “I’ll be at home in my sweatpants, eating pizza.”

Victoria looked at her father incredulously. “Do you even OWN sweatpants?”

He gave her an equally incredulous look. “Are there people in this world who DON’T?”

“I have NEVER seen you wear any.”

“That’s because I don’t, unless I know I’m not gonna see anyone.” He shrugged. “Doing business in sweatpants and a t-shirt isn’t very dignified.”

“How has your birthday been?” Mary asked Max, ignoring her husband and Victoria. “I hope you did something fun.”

Max shrugged. “We stayed in. Had a late lunch, caught up on our TV shows.”

“Really? That’s it?”

“Well, I mean, this is pretty fun.”

“Oh, yes. Having dinner with old people.” Mary looked pointedly at Victoria. “You couldn’t take your fiancée out and do whatever she wanted?”

“Hey, I offered!” Victoria said defensively. “Staying in WAS what she wanted!”

Max smirked. “Yea, well, after you and my parents traumatized me, I didn’t feel like being very active.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “Maybe instead of that necklace, your parents should’ve given you a sense of humor for your birthday.”

“And what did YOU get her for her birthday?” Derek asked accusingly. “Something good, I hope, for the woman you’re marrying in a few months.”

“Oh, she just made me lunch,” Max mentioned. “It was a pretty decent sandwich.”

“I’m sorry, she WHAT?!” Mary asked, flabbergasted. “Victoria Maribeth Chase!”

“Wha- I did not!” Victoria protested. “That’s- what the hell?!”

“Bologna and white bread,” Max confirmed. “With that bulk-packaged American cheese. And I got a bag of store-brand chips.”

“I did NOT just make you lunch for your birthday!”

Derek tilted his head. “You made her make her own lunch on her birthday?”

“N- I mean, yea, but- what the fuck?!” Victoria glared at Max, her face red. “I did NOT give you a bologna sandwich for your birthday! Why are you telling them that?!”

Max smiled smugly as she took another bite of her dinner, chewing and swallowing. “Because payback’s a bitch.”

“... ugh.” Victoria slouched in her chair with a sigh. “You suck.”

Derek raised an eyebrow. “Payback for what?”

“Nothing appropriate,” Max informed him. “Though I’m pretty sure I’m scarred for life.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “You are not.”

“Well, what DID she give you?” Mary asked.

“Oh, look.” Max set her fork down and pulled back on her hair, revealing a pair of diamond earrings.

“Wow!” Mary scooted closer to get a better look. “Well, those are MUCH better than a sandwich.”

“I know!” Victoria sulked. “Went out and got her something really nice, but no, I’m somehow the bad guy.”

Max smirked at her fiancée as she let go of her hair. “You did great, babe,” she allowed. “I love them. And I’m probably gonna wear them down the aisle.”

Victoria perked up. “Really?”

“Yea. I don’t think I own any nicer earrings.”

“Hah!” Victoria pumped her fist. “I am SUCH a great fiancée.”

Derek chuckled. “Well, hopefully we don’t outshine you,” he offered as he reached into his jacket pocket. “We have something for Max, too.”

Max’s eyebrows rose as he produced a square jewelry box. “Oh. Oh, no, guys, really. Please tell me you didn’t go crazy.”

Mary smirked. “Relax, Max. It didn’t cost us anything.”

“… it didn’t?”

“No. But I do have to explain this, before we give it to you.” Derek leaned his elbows onto the table as he held up the box. “Remember a few years ago, when I told you about my family? Specifically, my grandfather?”

“Um…” Max glanced up, trying to remember. “Jacob, right? The one who started your family company?”

“Yes, that’s him. Did I tell you about my grandmother?”

“I don’t think you did, no.”

“Well, her name was Helena.” He paused. “She was also Jewish. And from Poland.”

“… during World War Two?”

“That’s right.” Derek nodded. “Helena was barely able to outrun the blitzkrieg, when the Germans invaded. She fled to England, and eventually here, with nothing but what she could carrying. A number of her relatives, including both parents and her older brother, were not so lucky.”

Max shivered. “Jesus.”

“That’s terrible.” Victoria frowned. “How have I never heard you talk about her before?”

“Well, like your great-grandfather, I didn’t know her very well either. She died a few years before he did. Of cancer, I believe.”

“How did they meet?” Max asked.

“At work in Detroit, before Jacob moved the corporate offices to Seattle.” Derek nodded. “I do know that until they met, Helena mostly held odd jobs. I think she was a secretary at the time.”

“So the big-shot executive fell for the pretty secretary?” Victoria smirked. “Way to be a stereotype, great-grandpa.”

“Well, the stereotype exists for a reason.” Derek motioned with the box again. “As I said, Helena didn’t have much when she got to this country. But she was able to keep an heirloom necklace. Since then, it’s been passed down through all the wives in my family; from her to my mother, then to Mary when we married.”

He passed the box to his wife, who held it towards Max. “And now it’s your turn,” she finished.

Max looked extremely nervous, as she looked between Mary and the box. “… are you sure?”

“Of course.” Mary smiled. “Besides, you can’t have your ‘something new’ without a ‘something old’.”

The brunette finally reached out and accepted the box. She was very careful as she set it on the table and slowly opened the lid.

Victoria’s eyebrows almost hit her hairline as Max revealed the necklace. A sliver chain was connected to a bundle of smaller diamonds, centered around an emerald. Extending below it was a thin silver rod, in the middle of which was set another diamond, before it terminated in a larger group of diamonds. In the middle of the bottom group was an even larger emerald, sparkling brightly. It was clearly very old, but looked like it had been well-maintained and recently polished.

“… woah,” Max breathed.

Victoria snorted. “Not outshine me, my ass.”

Mary smiled at Max. “You like it?”

“Oh my God.” Max looked up. “Mary, Derek, I can’t take this. This is WAY too-”

“It’s way too nothing,” Derek interrupted her. “We want you to have it.”

“But… it’s too nice. And it has so much history in your family.”

“Yes, it does,” he agreed. “And part of that history includes being passed down.”

“Besides, I haven’t worn it in years,” Mary added. “It should be with someone who appreciates it. Come on, put it on. Let’s see how it looks.”

Max was still extremely hesitant, but she removed the necklace after a few seconds. “Here, I got it, “Victoria said as she took the chain. Max turned and used her hands to lift her hair out of the way as her fiancée looped the chain around her neck, finally clasping the hook. When she let it go, the stones fell a few inches below Max’s neck.

“Wow!” Mary exclaimed. “Max, that looks great on you!”

“Yea, it does,” Victoria agreed. “They don’t make them like that anymore.”

Max retrieved her phone and held it up, turning on the front camera to get a look at herself. “Dang,” she finally agreed, looking back at Mary. “… are you sure?”

“As we’ve said. Do you like it?”

“I mean, of course I do. It’s gorgeous.” Max smiled back at the camera. “And it’s definitely the nicest thing I’ve ever worn.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “That mean you’re wearing it down the aisle, too?”

“Mm.” Max lowered the phone and glanced at Derek. “Will it impress all your guys’ friends?”

He chuckled as he nodded. “The husbands will be impressed, and their wives will be greener than those emeralds with envy.”

“By the way, don’t feel bad if that necklace spends most of its time in a safe,” Mary assured her. “I don’t think I need more than both hands to count how often I actually wore it.”

“Yea, this is definitely too nice to wear around.” Max glanced at Victoria. “… we should probably get a safe.”

Derek tilted his head. “You guys don’t have one already?”

“I don’t think either of us have anything nice enough to put inside.” Victoria glanced at Max’s necklace. “Or we didn’t, anyway.”

* * *

“You’re not upset, are you?”

Victoria glanced sideways at Max, as she drove the Prius home. “What? Why?”

“That your parents gave this to me.” Max tapped the necklace, still strung around her neck. “And not you.”

“Of course I’m not, come on.” Victoria rolled her eyes. “It is nice. But it clearly goes to the people who marry into the family.”

“I know. There’s still a lot of history attached to it.”

“It’s not MY history,” Victoria corrected her. “I didn’t know it even existed until an hour ago.”

“I also know you don’t have anything like it.”

She bit her lip. “… not anymore.”

“You…” Max paused. “Oh.”

“Yep.” Victoria sighed heavily. “I had my own fancy diamond necklace, except it had rubies, not emeralds. Though it still wasn’t as nice as that one.”

Max saw the pained expression on her fiancée’s face. “Where is it now?” she asked softly, feeling like she already knew the answer.

“Last I saw, in a pawn shop somewhere in Tacoma.” Victoria shrugged. “So, yea. I had my shot with the super-expensive necklace. Though my parents were smart enough to buy it for me, not give me one that was a hundred years old."

“… I’m sorry.”

“Me too. It was pretty nice.” Victoria took a deep breath. “It was a long time ago. And I know if I wanted to, I could replace it. But since I barely wear super-expensive stuff anymore, I’ve never really seen a point.”

“What about the wedding?”

“I figured I’d talk to my mom as we got closer.” She shrugged. “She’ll probably just tell me to take the Amex and get myself something. Or let me borrow another one of her pieces. I’m good either way.”

Max studied her carefully. “You’re sure that you’re okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.” Victoria smiled at her. “Please don’t worry about me being upset. Or jealous. I like the jewelry I have now. It’s not like we dress up that often anyway.”

“… okay.” Max settled back into her seat. “And we are going to get a safe, right?”

“Oh hell yes.” Victoria nodded at Max’s neck. “We might get money back, if that thing gets stolen, but that necklace isn’t something that we can just re-purchase.”

“Mm. Yea, I don’t think your parents will like me anymore if I lose this.” Max looked back at the stones around her neck. “I should probably take it off, actually.”

“Why?”

“Because we need to go through a dark parking lot to get inside. And getting killed for a diamond necklace is a little too Bruce Wayne for me.”

Victoria snorted. “You’re already a superhero. And even if you weren’t, I’M the one who would have to get killed for you to become one.”

“This might surprise you, but I don’t want that, either.”


	29. Trolley Problem

**October 7 th, 2024**

She’d known it was coming, before they went to sleep the previous night. There was a reminder set in her phone for the day before, every year, so that she wouldn’t be surprised.

It was still a shock to her, to be woken up so early in the morning by her fiancée yelling Chloe’s name.

Victoria jumped as Max exploded in movement just after three in the morning. By the time she’d blinked herself awake, her fiancée was sitting upright in bed and gasping for breath. She quickly tapped the lamp beside her, to light up the bedroom, before sitting up and taking Max’s hand.

“… sorry,” Max mumbled, wiping her eyes with her free hand.

“It’s okay.” Victoria rubbed Max’s knuckles with her thumb. “Was it another nightmare?”

Max nodded, sniffling. “I, uh… I was back in the bathroom again. Trying to rewind. But I couldn’t.”

“I’m so sorry, babe.”

“Thanks.” Max let out a shaky breath, looking at Victoria. “I still miss her,” she admitted. “It’s been eleven years, and I can’t stop thinking about that week.”

“It’s not your fault,” Victoria said comfortingly. “You’re not to blame for what happened.”

“… I could’ve saved her.”

“And she told you not to.” Victoria squeezed Max’s hand. “You didn’t kill her. She sacrificed herself to save an entire town from being destroyed. If Arcadia Bay knew what she’d done, there’d be monuments to her on every street corner.”

“Yea.” Max averted her gaze. “But I still let her die.”

They sat in silence for several minutes as Max’s breathing slowly returned to normal. Victoria spent the time trying to think of what she could say to make Max feel better, not letting go of the brunette’s hand as she calmed down.

“You know what the issue with the trolley problem is?” Victoria finally asked.

Max frowned. “The trolley problem?”

“Yea. When you’re driving a train that’s about to run over and kill five people. You can do nothing, or you can pull a lever that kills one person instead of five.”

“I know what it is. I just didn’t know that you did.”

“Well, just because I don’t have a Master’s doesn’t mean I don’t know a little bit.” Victoria smirked. “Anyway, you know what the problem is?”

“I’ve studied it. The ethical dilemma, where you can let five people die through inaction, dodging some of the responsibility, or you can deliberate kill one person and be at-fault.” Max sighed. “The problem is that either way, people still die.”

“No, the problem is that you’re driving a fucking trolley in the first place.”

Max blinked. “Huh?”

“Think about it. You got dropped in the driver’s seat of a trolley without warning. Nobody thought about whether or not you were qualified to drive the trolley, or asked if you wanted to, they just stuck you there. And then they forced you to make an impossible decision.” Victoria squeezed her hand tighter. “What happened as a result of that choice is not a burden you should be carrying. And I might not have known Chloe very well, but I think if she was here, she’d say the same thing.”

“… maybe.” Max dropped her gaze. “That doesn’t change how I feel.”

Victoria squeezed her hand one more time. “Come on, lay back down,” she finally said. “We’ve got to be at Melissa’s in a few hours. You should try to get some sleep.”

“Okay.”

* * *

“Thank you so much.” Max smiled as she accepted a second cup of coffee from Melissa. “I really appreciate it.”

“Of course.” Melissa smiled back. “You do look a little tired.”

“I didn’t sleep well last night.” Max took a sip, closing her eyes as she swallowed. “Mm. That’s amazing.”

“Ugh. I envy you so much right now.” Melissa slowly slid back onto the barstool behind her, sighing as she wiggled her shoeless toes. “I miss caffeine. And wine. Mostly the wine.”

Max chuckled. “How much longer?”

“Only a few more weeks until the eviction.” Melissa grunted as she got more comfortable. “God, I can’t wait to sleep on my stomach again. And to be able to tie my own shoes.”

“You excited?”

“Oh, sure. And yet, at the same time, terrified.”

Max nodded sympathetically. “I can’t imagine. Are you guys ready for it?”

“I guess. We got all the stuff we need, though we moved most of it into our bedroom.”

“You did?”

Melissa nodded. “We thought it would be better if the social worker saw that Anna would have her own room. And we were gonna keep the baby in our room for a few months after he’s born anyway.”

“Oh, how was the visit?”

* * *

“I mean, she was definitely happier than I’ve seen her.”

Victoria raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“Yea. She said she was pretty pleased with what she saw.” Lindsey arranged the stuffed animals on a shelf for what seemed like the tenth time, as they talked in Anna’s room. “I feel bad, because Melissa and John had to move a bunch of stuff around for her. Like, they actually had to buy a safe for all the medications in the house.”

“They did?”

“Not because of me. I guess that’s part of her checklist or something.” Lindsey shrugged. “But when she walked through again last month, she said it was good.”

“Glad to hear it.” Victoria frowned. “It’s seriously taken a month?”

“I guess there was paperwork. Stuff to file with the city or something. And I had to pass another drug test.” Lindsey took a slow breath as she stepped away. “But… I guess it’ll be over soon.”

“Exactly. Big day today.” Victoria paused. “How have you and Melissa been doing?”

“Better.” Lindsey leaned against the wall. “We, uh, talk a lot. About Mom, and other stuff.” She bit her lip. “… she wants to help me go to college.”

“Hey, that’s great.” Victoria smiled. “You’ll definitely get a better job with a degree.”

“So I hear. I just hated school when I was doing it. I never even graduated high school, so I guess I have to get my GED first.” Lindsey glanced around the room. “Which… I guess means that Anna and I are gonna stay here for a while.”

“Is that so bad?”

“I suppose not.” Lindsey glanced out the door, back towards the bedroom she’d been sleeping in. “It is pretty nice to have more than a couch and a duffle bag to myself, if nothing else.”

“I imagine so.” Victoria checked her watch. “Any time now. Wanna go back downstairs?”

“Sure.”

Lindsey lead the way out, back towards the stairs. Victoria paused as she noted the Star Wars poster hanging on the wall, autographed by several of the actors. “Man, you weren’t kidding about Melissa’s husband liking these movies.”

“Dude, you should’ve seen the stuff he put into storage.” Lindsey smirked. “I mean, I’m not a nerd or anything, but the temptation to swing around a toy lightsaber was pretty intense.”

“It wasn’t a toy!” Victoria glanced towards the last bedroom, where John was rapidly typing on a computer. Melissa’s husband looked like a stereotypical nerd, complete with thick-lenses glasses and a lanky frame. He brushed a loose strand of hair from his eyes as he continued. “It was a genuine stunt prop from Episode Three, used by Ben Cooke while filming.”

“Who’s that?”

“He was Hayden Christiansen’s stunt double.”

“Ah ha.” Victoria smirked. “You couldn’t get one used by the actor?”

“Trust me, I tried. But there aren’t many of them, and the collectors who have them aren’t willing to sell.” John’s phone beeped from the desk next to him, and he finally stopped typing, standing to stretch. “And even if they had, we probably wouldn’t have been able to afford it. That prop cost enough as it was.”

“Plus, you know, you’ve got a kid on the way who’s about to get really expensive,” Lindsey reminded him.

“Yea, Melissa’s made that point.” He sighed heavily. “Oh well. I suppose my days of buying overpriced collectibles were bound to end eventually.”

The doorbell from the first floor rang, the chimes echoing through the house. Lindsey vanished so fast that Victoria could almost hear the air _POP_ behind her, from the vacuum Lindsey left behind as the girl flew down the stairs and out of sight. “I think the social worker’s here,” Victoria mentioned.

“She is.” John picked his phone off the desk, sticking it in his pocket. “I saw her on the doorbell camera.”

“Cool.” Victoria paused, as John stepped out from behind his desk. “It’s really awesome, by the way, that you guys agreed to take Lindsey and Anna in.”

He waved dismissively. “Of course. You don’t turn away family.”

“Even though you’d never met her before?”

“She’s my sister-in-law. If she needs our help, she’s got it.” He shrugged. “Come on, don’t want to miss it.”

They followed after Lindsey just in time to hear the door open, with a small and excited voice yelling “Mama!”

By the time they got to the bottom of the stairs, they were able to take in the sight of Lindsey hugging Anna tightly, her face pressed into her daughter’s neck. Max and Melissa watched from the kitchen entrance as Lindsey’s shoulder’s shook with barely-restrained sobs.

* * *

“The next six months will be pretty straightforward. And shouldn’t have much in the way of surprise.”

Jasmine stood in front of the group, as everyone sat on the couch and loveseat in the living room. Lindsey kept Anna on her lap, still occasionally wiping her eyes as she watched and listened to the social worker while nodding. “What do I have to do?” she asked quietly.

“Well, I’m sure you won’t be surprised that the important thing is to stay clean,” Jasmine answered. “The weekly drug-testing is over, but we may ask you to drug-test at random to confirm that you’re not using illicit substances. You don’t have to continue going to the Narcotics Anonymous meetings, if you don’t want to, though we highly recommend it.”

“I will,” Lindsey said quickly. “They, uh… make it easier.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Jasmine looked at Melissa and John next. “I’m afraid weekly visits will be in order for the next six months as well. A few of which will be unannounced. They won’t be as thorough as my initial visits, but we do want to ensure that Anna is living in a safe environment.”

Melissa nodded. “That won’t be a problem.”

“Very well.” Jasmine produced a couple of manila folders from her bag. “These are for you, Lindsey. They’re the medical records from Anna’s doctor visits, and her Medicare information. She has another checkup next Monday.”

Lindsey accepted the folders with one hand. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Jasmine closed her bag. “On a personal note, Lindsey, I can’t tell you how thrilling it is to see you make this kind of turnaround. You’ve come a long way since we met eight months ago, and I’m really proud of you.”

She allowed herself a smile. “… me too,” she admitted, as she grasped Anna’s hands gently. “And, uh… thanks for making sure she was okay.”

“Of course.” Jasmine smiled. “So, what’s the plan now?”

“I’m… working on that.” Lindsey squirmed. “I guess get my GED. And figure out a way to make a living.”

“And go to college,” Melissa offered. “Right?”

“… I guess,” Lindsey mumbled uncomfortably. “I was never really good with school.”

Jasmine hummed. “Have you considered a trade?” she asked.

“A trade?”

“Like being an electrician, or a carpenter,” Jasmine elaborated. “Those schools are often shorter and more focused. We highly recommend them to single parents, especially ones who are low on funds.”

Lindsey bit her lip as she considered the new information. Then she passed a quick glance at Victoria, before looking back at Jasmine. “… are there any for photography?”

“I… don’t know,” Jasmine admitted. “Maybe?”

Victoria cleared her throat. “There aren’t,” she answered. “Most formal photography training is part of a college class. But there are workshops, to make people competent.” She glanced at Lindsey. “And some photographers will take on apprentices.”

“Is that something you want to do?” Melissa asked Lindsey.

Her sister nodded. “I’ve seen some of the pictures Victoria takes. It’d be pretty cool to take photos like that, I think.” She looked back at her sponsor. “Do you… take on apprentices?”

Victoria pursed her lips. “Possibly,” she allowed. “You are a good assistant. And your pictures are getting much better. I think it might be something we can talk about, later.”

“Right.” Lindsey looked back at Jasmine. “I’ll figure it out. I promise.”

“Glad to hear it.”

* * *

“Can you afford to pay a second photographer?”

Victoria spared Max a glance before she looked back to the road, turning towards their condo. “Technically, I can afford to do whatever I want.”

“I meant your studio.” Max folded her arms. “With the proceeds from your business, not your dad’s credit card.”

“… not full-time,” Victoria admitted. “For gigs, definitely. But not for forty hours a week. I can do part-time, but that’s about it.”

Max nodded. “You know I’m all for helping Lindsey get back on her feet. I just don’t want you to overexert your business to do it. It was hard enough for you to get it started, and you won’t keep it running if you waste money on stuff you don’t need.”

“I know, I know.” Victoria sighed. “She is getting pretty good, though. The photos she took at the last wedding we did weren’t half-bad.”

“If she at the professional level yet?”

“No, of course not.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Then is she going to be paid a professional’s salary?”

“You LITERALLY just heard me say that she’d be a part-time employee at best.”

“I know. I want to make sure you don’t-”

Max’s phone rang in her pocket, interrupting whatever she was about to say. Her face turned anxious as she checked the screen. “… it’s Joyce.”

“Oh.” Victoria looked at her. “You want me to pull over?”

“No. It’s fine.” Max shook her head. “I got this.”

* * *

“Hey, Joyce.”

“ _Max, how are you doing?_ ”

“I’m… okay, I guess. How are you?”

“ _I guess we’re okay, too. Thank you for the flowers again, they’re beautiful._ ”

“… I’m still sorry, Joyce.”

“ _I know, sweetie. We all are._ ”

“Is David doing okay?”

“ _He is. Actually, they accepted his application to the police academy a few months ago._ ”

“Oh, wow. I didn’t know he was still trying to do that.”

“ _He never stopped. Even used his GI Bill to finish the classes he needed for a Criminal Justice degree, so he had a better shot. He started his first shift a couple of weeks back._ ”

“That’s cool. Will you tell him I said congrats?”

“ _I sure will. Hey, how’s the wedding planning going?_ ”

“Pretty smoothly, actually. Did you guys get the invitation?”

“ _We did. I keep forgetting to put it back in the mail, but of course we’ll be there. I can’t wait to see you again, kiddo._ ”

“Me too, Joyce. It’s been way too long. And my parents said they couldn’t wait to see you either.”

“ _I know, I’m so excited. We’ve been keeping in touch over Facebook, but it’s just not the same. How’s Victoria doing? Still good?_ ”

“She is. She’s actually right next to me. We’re driving back from a friend’s house.”

“ _She’s still sober, right? I’ve been keeping her in my prayers._ ”

“Yep. She got her five-year chip a few months ago. And she said to thank you, because it means a lot to her.”

“ _Of course. I’m looking forward to meeting her, too._ ”

“Oh. Right. I keep forgetting that you guys haven’t actually met.”

“ _Nope. Just through the letters._ ”

“Well, she’s looking forward to meeting you too.”

“ _… sweetie, can I ask you something?_ ”

“Sure.”

“ _You don’t still feel guilty, do you?_ ”

“… about what?”

“ _What happened to Chloe._ ”

“Oh. I, uh…”

“ _Sweetie, you know that it wasn’t your fault._ ”

“… I just wish I could’ve done something.”

“ _Everyone does, kiddo. But there wasn’t anything you could’ve done. Not without getting yourself hurt._ ”

“…”

“ _… Max?_ ”

“I’m here.”

“ _Are you okay?_ ”

“Yea. I’m, uh… I’m fine.”

* * *

They’d just parked when Max finally hung up, setting the phone down in her lap before dropping her head against the window. She didn’t move for several moments as she let out a long sigh.

“She’s right,” Victoria finally said gently.

“No. She’s not.” Max sniffed, as she wiped her eyes. “She’s wrong. And if she knew how wrong she was, she’d never talk to me again.”

“Max, if you had saved Chloe, it would’ve killed that entire town,” Victoria reminded her. “It wasn’t your-”

“Yes. It was my fault. I deliberately let my best friend die.” Max swallowed. “I know what everyone would say if they knew. I know what Chloe told me to do. And I know she had had to die, so everyone else could live.”

She finally looked at Victoria with wet eyes. “… I still wish there was another way.”

Victoria didn’t know what to say. It felt like anything she would’ve said would only make things worse. She settled for reaching across the armrest and taking Max’s hand, squeezing comfortingly. Max only acknowledged by squeezing back as she sat in her seat and sniffled.


	30. Texting: Pt 2

**Courtney:** Hey, did you get the samples I sent you?

**Max:** Yes. Victoria and I were just looking at them. I really like the second one.

**Courtney:** … which one is the second one, Max?

**Max:** Wait, you didn’t number them?

**Courtney:** While I agree that it would’ve been a good idea, no. I just cut two pieces and tossed them in the envelope.

**Max:** Well, it’s the fuzzy one.

**Courtney:** They’re both fuzzy.

**Max:** The one that’s fuzzier.

**Courtney:** Know what? I’m way less likely to fuck up if you just send me a picture of the sample you like.

**Max:** <sample.jpg>

**Courtney:** Perfect. I’ll start working on it in a little bit.

**Courtney:** I’ll sew it into some white fleece, too. You’ll be nice and toasty next to the rest of us in our jackets.

**Max:** What does Victoria’s jacket look like?

**Courtney:** I’m fairly certain that you’re not allowed to ask.

**Max:** Oh. Right. Are you making it, too, or buying it?

**Courtney:** All the jackets are coming off racks. I can’t make them AND the dresses in time for your wedding.

**Max:** And my cloak definitely won’t set you back?

**Courtney:** I’m not liking this lack of faith in my abilities. I’m gonna need you to lose it, quickly.

* * *

**Victoria:** What’s the capital of Bangladesh?

**Lynn:** Dhaka.

**Victoria:** What’s the national language of Myanmar?

**Lynn:** Burmese. What are you doing?

**Victoria:** Seeing if you’re studying like I told you. What kind of government does Indonesia have?

**Lynn:** A parliamentary system. They’re about 90% Muslim, with a scattering of Christians and Hindus, speak about 700 languages, and have a GDP of $1.1 trillion. And Peter Kowalski just sank several million dollars into a local company that mines precious metals.

**Victoria:** Look at you, learning like a champ.

**Lynn:** Lots of flash cards. And I’m still not sure how learning all this is going to open doors for me. Most of I just rattled off can be found on Wikipedia.

**Victoria:** How much did Peter’s conglomerate make last year?

**Lynn:** About two hundred and sixty million.

**Victoria:** Exactly. That means that a few minutes of his time to Google that stuff is worth thousands of dollars.

**Victoria:** My dad pays advisors stupidly well because they can give him that sort of info off the tops of their heads. Time is literally money to these guys.

**Lynn:** … never thought about it like that.

**Victoria:** I figured. Now quick, how much copper did Sri Lanka export last year?

**Lynn:** They don’t export copper. Their main industries are tourism, textiles, and agricultural goods. Though they spend money like a drunken housewife with her ex-husband’s credit card.

**Victoria:** Work on more metaphors like that. These rich guys LOVE that sort of thing. And Peter will relate to that one in particular.

* * *

**Taylor:** You’re not doing the Amazon Author Spotlight?

**Kate:** … guess I should’ve figured you’d find out about it.

**Taylor:** My department is running it. Why wouldn’t you? Authors who participate see a 15% sales boost at least.

**Kate:** For the same reason my publicist wound up nixing my TV appearance. I’d have to show my face.

**Taylor:** So what?

**Taylor:** Is it the pen name? You don’t want people to put a face to Stacy Anderson?

**Kate:** Not really.

**Taylor:** Is it a privacy thing?

**Kate:** Taylor, that video of me from Blackwell is still online.

**Taylor:** … oh.

**Kate:** Yea. My publicist and I agreed that it isn’t likely anyone will make the connection, but we don’t want to chance it.

**Taylor:** I am so sorry.

**Kate:** What? Why?

**Taylor:** For my role in what happened.

**Kate:** Come on. I forgave you guys years ago.

**Taylor:** Yea, and you’re still suffering the consequences of my shitty behavior.

**Taylor:** I really would do anything to take it back.

**Kate:** I know you would. I appreciate it.

**Kate:** It’s really not a big deal. My books still sell very well.

**Taylor:** Can I please put you in our Spotlight anyway? We won’t use your face or real name, we’ll just have a brief bio and showcase your new releases.

**Kate:** You don’t have to.

**Taylor:** I know. But I’ll feel like less of an asshole if we do. Especially after completely forgetting about the worst thing I’ve ever done.

**Kate:** … if you really insist on it, then I guess.

**Taylor:** I do.

**Taylor:** Besides, we make money off your book sales too :)

**Kate:** Believe me, I’m aware.

* * *

**Max:** Has Victoria spoken to you about borrowing some jewelry for the wedding?

**Mary:** I didn’t realize that she had planned to.

**Mary:** Or that she would need to. She doesn’t have something nice to wear?

**Max:** She does not.

**Mary:** … I was about to say that I know we’ve given her jewelry. But that was a long time ago.

**Mary:** It’s gone, isn’t it?

**Max:** I’m afraid so.

**Mary:** God. She’s been doing so well for so long that I sometimes forget it wasn’t always like this.

**Mary:** Am I back to being a bad mother again?

**Max:** NO. No no no. Definitely not.

**Max:** She just mentioned that she was going to ask, and I was wondering if she had yet.

**Mary:** Why doesn’t she purchase a few pieces? She’s got the Amex for stuff like this.

**Max:** She doesn’t really like using it on herself. I don’t know if you’ve seen her purchasing record, but she mostly uses it for wedding stuff, or gifts for other people.

**Max:** She’s trying really hard not to go back to her old ways.

**Mary:** I… guess I understand.

**Mary:** I still think she should have some nice things. Especially with the wedding coming up.

**Max:** Are you going to tell her to buy something?

**Mary:** No. I think this requires a little more finesse. I’ll handle it.

* * *

**Kate:** Have you looked for a jacket for Alice to wear?

**Courtney:** I was going to, I just hadn’t started yet. Unless you found something?

**Kate:** A couple. Though they aren’t as nice as the ones we’re getting.

**Courtney:** Well, kid’s clothes usually aren’t. On account of them being, you know, kids.

**Courtney:** What did you find?

**Kate:** <jacket1.amzn>

**Kate:** <jacket2.amzn>

**Kate:** That’s it, so far.

**Courtney:** The second one is perfect. What’s her size?

**Kate:** 4T. Should I go ahead and buy it?

**Courtney:** What? No. I’m gonna send it to Victoria so she can buy it.

**Kate:** I can do it. It’s not that expensive.

**Courtney:** I know. But she’s gonna do a bulk Amazon order anyway, for the gloves.

**Kate:** … you found the gloves on Amazon?

**Courtney:** Yes.

**Kate:** After all the grief you gave Taylor?

**Courtney:** Let me be clear; if a WORD of this gets back to Taylor, I’m altering your dress in the most unflattering way possible.

**Kate:** … my lips are sealed.

* * *

**Lindsey:** Melissa delivered her baby last night.

**Victoria:** No way! I thought it wasn’t for another couple of weeks!

**Lindsey:** Us too. I guess the kid decided that he was bored, so he started knocking at midnight.

**Victoria:** Bummer.

**Lindsey:** I know. At least Anna waited until I was awake.

**Victoria:** Are they doing okay?

**Lindsey:** They’re good. John’s still there. I’m holding down the house with Anna, trying to put together their crib.

**Victoria:** They didn’t have it together yet?

**Lindsey:** Like I said, couple of weeks early.

**Lindsey:** Also, I think this damn thing was made by a sadist, because the directions are gibberish. “Be joining legs with number A bolt and washer?”

**Victoria:** … wow. Does it at least have pictures you can follow?

**Lindsey:** No. They successfully found the only assemble-it-yourself crib with instructions that don’t include pictures.

**Lindsey:** I’m literally about to duct-tape this thing together.

**Victoria:** Hey, babies are light. If you wrap it enough, it’s probably just as good.

**Lindsey:** You think if it falls apart with him in it, they’ll still let me live here?

**Victoria:** … maybe use a hammer and some nails.

* * *

**Max:** How is everything?

**Brooke:** Okay, I guess.

**Max:** You guess?

**Brooke:** … I don’t know, Max. Nothing has really changed.

**Brooke:** A couple of other doctors at work spoke to me. Because they had to.

**Max:** And Warren?

**Brooke:** Still barely talks to me.

**Max:** He just needs time, Brooke. Are you still going to meetings?

**Brooke:** Yea. Got a 5-month chip now.

**Brooke:** I’m pretty sure the hospital is still trying to fire me, though.

**Max:** Why do you say that?

**Brooke:** Because they’re checking up on all my patient charts. And going behind me to double-check on the patients.

**Brooke:** And they’re supposed to be random, but I’m pretty sure every person I’ve treated has gotten an after-care interview about how I did.

**Max:** Hey, you’re a good doctor. Just keep it up, and this’ll be over before you know it.

**Brooke:** I guess that is true, one way or another.

* * *

**Victoria:** My mom wants to do a mother-daughter shopping trip this weekend.

**Max:** Really? That sounds like fun.

**Victoria:** Yea. Apparently my dad went to London without her, on a last-minute thing, so she’s bored. And she wants to hit all the high-end shops in Seattle.

**Max:** Ooh. That sounds like a LOT of fun.

**Victoria:** I guess. We haven’t done anything like that in years.

**Victoria:** But the last time we did, I think the bill came out to something like twenty grand.

**Max:** … are you kidding me?

**Victoria:** You might’ve thought that I liked nice stuff back at Blackwell, but my closet PALED in comparison to my mother’s. I swear that she actually has Jimmy Choo himself on speed-dial.

**Max:** Hey, this might be a good thing. Your closet could use some nicer stuff in it. Maybe some shoes that aren’t from DSW.

**Victoria:** … I do miss my old Louboutins.

**Max:** I don’t know what those are, but you should get some!

**Victoria:** Seriously? The shoes with the red soles?

**Max:** Oh, those. I didn’t know they had a name.

**Victoria:** Maybe YOU need some shoes that aren’t from DSW.

* * *

**Victoria:** Okay, everyone needs to remember two things for the flight out. First, we’re meeting at the executive terminal; second, the reservation number is AC2437.

**Courtney:** Is there a lot for our cars? And do we have to pay for it?

**Victoria:** Yes, and no. Follow the signs for the executive terminal. They’ll give you a ticket, but they’ll validate it when we get back.

**Steph:** How much luggage are we allowed?

**Victoria:** Two bags, plus one carry-on. No weight limit.

**Victoria:** Also, don’t worry about bringing anything to eat or drink. My dad keeps the plane stocked.

**Kate:** Are there any TVs or anything? Or should I bring stuff to keep Alice occupied?

**Victoria:** No TVs. Bring something for her to do.

**Taylor:** We’re going out for the night when Alice is at her sleepover thing, right?

**Victoria:** … define “going out”.

**Taylor:** Someplace fun? Adults only? With music, dancing, and available booze for those of us who choose to imbibe?

**Courtney:** I second this plan.

**Victoria:** There is someplace we can go, right?

**Taylor:** On an island known for being the prime tourist spot in the world? What do YOU think?

**Steph:** I don’t even remember the last time I went out clubbing.

**Victoria:** I’m fairly certain Max has never done it.

**Taylor:** Then it’s settled. Everyone better pack clubbing clothes.

**Kate:** What does that mean?

**Taylor:** An appropriately cute outfit.

**Kate:** … so I have to go shopping again.

**Courtney:** No. I will help you and Steph find something when we get to the island.

**Steph:** Excuse me? What makes you think I need help?

**Courtney:** Call it a safe assumption to make.


	31. Probation

**November 22 nd, 2024**

The sight of the empty pillow beside her head never failed to make her heart ache.

Brooke’s phone vibrated on the bed beside her, slowly waking her up. Every morning for the past one-hundred and forty-four days, she’d hoped that her husband had gotten tired of the couch and decided to come back to their bed. And every morning she woke up disappointed, facing the consequences of her colossal fuckup.

_It’s been almost six months,_ she tried to remind herself. _Max said that’s when other people start believing you’re serious._

_Maybe we can have an actual conversation today._

She glanced at the time on her phone; Warren’s alarm would be going off in a few minutes. Sliding out of the bed as quietly as possible, Brooke slipped through their bathroom and into their closet to change.

Stripping the loose t-shirt and sweatpants she slept in, she retrieved on an old undershirt, one that she’d stopped wearing because it had shrunk in the wash. She put it on, pulling it as tightly as she could, but it still didn’t even go past her belly button.

_Which ones?_ she wondered as she pawed through her underwear. _Not those, I wouldn’t sleep in them and he knows that… those are too plain… oh, here we go._ She pulled out a pair of black underwear with lace around the edges, slipping them on.

Satisfied that she looked sexy, without broadcasting like she was trying to look sexy, she made her way back to the bathroom just as Warren’s alarm went off. She heard him get up a few seconds later, as she positioned herself in front of the mirror and started brushing her teeth.

He walked into the bathroom a few seconds later, hair disheveled from the pillow. “Morning,” she greeted him, trying to be cheerful.

“Morning,” he muttered as he headed into their closet.

“How’d you sleep?”

“Good.”

She tried to ignore that he was ignoring her, as he rustled around through their clothes to get dress. He came back a few minutes later, wearing scrub pants and carrying his shirt, as he started brushing his teeth.

_Come on,_ Brooke begged silently. _Please say something._

_Ask me how I slept._

_Tell me that I look nice._

_Bend me over the sink and fuck me like it’s been eight months._

_Jesus, tell me that I look like a stupid whore who’s trying too hard, just fucking TALK to me…_

He spat his toothpaste into the sink, then rinsed his mouth before applying deodorant. “I’m observing one of Cahill’s procedures this afternoon,” he said absently as he pulled his shirt on. “I probably won’t be back for dinner.”

With that he left the bathroom, gently closing the door behind him.

Brooke closed her eyes as she leaned forward, her forehead hitting the mirror with a dull _thud._

_… fuck._

* * *

She arrived at the hospital an hour later, dressed in her scrubs and ready to work. Looking up at the building forlornly, she reminded herself that she was lucky to even be there.

Upon her return from Seattle, she’d fully expected to be met with termination paperwork. Nobody had been more surprised than her when she’d found herself in the Chief of Staff’s office, sitting across from the top doctor in the hospital.

“ _I want you to understand something right now, Doctor Scott. And that’s the fact that you aren’t supposed to be here._ ”

“ _… yes sir._ ”

“ _When you badged in, security supposed to bring you straight to HR. They were going to offer you the chance to resign, so you could try to salvage a semblance of a career, while giving you the contents of your locker. By this time, you were already supposed to be off the premises with instructions to never come back._ ”

She still shivered at that memory. And how close she’d come.

“ _Do you know why you’re still here, Doctor Scott?_ ”

“ _No, sir._ ”

“ _Does the name Weathers ring a bell? Doctor Ira Weathers?_ ”

“ _Um… I think he’s an oncologist?_ ”

“ _He’s the head of the Oncology department at the Brandt Clinic in Seattle. He is THE oncologist, Doctor Scott, one of the best in the entire hemisphere. His research into precision chemotherapy and gene identification will save more lives than all the doctors in this hospital combined. We went through medical school together, and I consider myself fortunate to call him a close, personal friend._ ”

“ _Yes sir._ ”

“ _Have you met him, Doctor Scott? Are you two familiar with each other?_ ”

“ _No._ ”

“ _I find that answer interesting. Because based on the phone call I received last week, he’s familiar with you._ ”

“ _… I’m sorry?_ ”

“ _We talked for a long time about the troubles that come about when doctors are under pressure to do well. How susceptible they are to drug abuse. And how all addicts deserve a second chance, no matter the outrageous things they might’ve done. That phone call, Doctor Scott, is the only reason you haven’t been escorted out of the building._ ”

There was no way Max hadn’t intervened. She knew her friend had done something. But she had kept her mouth shut.

“ _Your probation is effective immediately. No prescribing controlled substances, no unsupervised patient access, and you can consider your locker privileges revoked. Is that understood?_ ”

“ _… yes sir._ ”

“ _You’ll be drug tested every week. And if you test positive for anything stronger than an aspirin, then you can forget about being asked to resign; we’ll be reporting you to the medical board and taking steps to revoke your license._ ”

“ _Yes sir._ ”

“ _And you’re not going back to the ER, either. Doctor Williams thinks you’re too great of a liability to be on his service. As does Doctor Carmichael, and Doctor Adams, and Doctor Harper. In fact, every attending physician save for one doesn’t want to risk being responsible for you._ ”

“ _… who?_ ”

“ _Doctor Lambert._ ”

Lambert. The very mention of the name had made a cold spot develop in her stomach. Gina Lambert was the head of the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, and had been for close to two decades. She was known to be a brilliant physician, with an incredible bedside manner, who seemed to have memorized every medical publication in the hospital’s expansive library. And she treated her nurses with the same level of respect as doctors; some of them had been working with her for most of their careers.

She was also other doctor’s worst nightmares. Lambert was an absolute perfectionist and demanded the same of everyone on her service. Mistakes in the ICU were not tolerated, and if you were found to be negligent, she would make damn sure you paid for it. A rumor floated among residents that she had once made an attending physician spend his entire shift cleaning bedpans, after he’d ordered medication that his patient was allergic to.

After hearing her new assignment, she’d strongly considered taking the offer to resign. But after Max had gone to bat for her, she decided that she didn’t have a choice. So she’d signed a million pieces of paperwork before reporting to her new department.

If nothing else, Lambert hadn’t given her own harshly-worded opinion on Brooke’s behavior, like she’d been expecting. She’d spent a total of five minutes with her that first day, first having expectations laid out, then getting a quick tour of the department before being assigned a nurse and her first patients.

Brooke tried to ignore the butterflies that grew in her stomach every day since she’d come back, as she walked through the hospital entrance and badged her way through security. She passed three other residents that she’d gone through her intern year with, but none of them acknowledged her. She was pretty sure one of them ducked into the bathroom specifically to avoid talking to her.

_… asshole._

With a sigh, she finally badged her way through a second security door into the ICU. Without a locker of her own, she had to keep her things in the small cubbies the nurses used by the charge desk. As such, the amount of stuff she brought into work was limited to her purse, an iPad Mini she kept medical references on, and her metal water bottle.

“Morning, Doctor Scott,” one of the nurses greeted her.

“Hey, Lisa.” Brooke put her stuff away, taking a sip of water as she did so. Of all the nurses, Lisa was the most sympathetic to Brooke’s problems. She’d confided that her mother had struggled with drinking for most of her life, and as a result she understood what Brooke was going through, to some degree. “Is that infected cyst still in bed three?”

“No, his fever finally broke last night. They took him back to his old room an hour ago.” Lisa plucked a tablet from a rack beside her, passing it to Brooke. “We’ve got a new one, though. Twenty-year-old male came in late last night, straight from the ER.”

“Oh yea?” Brooke pressed her thumb to the tablet’s fingerprint sensor, logging in and navigating through the charts until she found the new admission. Her eyes widened as she skimmed the list of injuries. “Holy crap, Lisa. Six broken ribs, fractures to both of his femurs, dislocated shoulder, concussion…”

“I know. Ortho’s got about an hours’ worth of X-rays to go through.” Lisa shook her head. “He’ll probably need surgery.”

“I’d say a couple of them.” Brooke flipped through the X-rays. “That left tibia is gonna need at least two or three pins. What happened to this kid?”

“My friend downstairs said he’s some sort of up-and-coming influencer.” Lisa rolled her eyes. “He posts videos online of him doing dumb shit to get attention. Apparently, his latest attempt was to try and drive his crotch-rocket down the highway at night while standing on the seat.”

“… are you kidding me?”

“No. His buddies were apparently filming from a car and caught the whole thing on tape. The bike flipped him when he hit a piece of trash at ninety miles an hour.”

Brooke shook her head. “Maybe some people’s greatest ambition in life is to be an example to others.”

Lisa shrugged. “Don’t expect an argument out of me.”

“We’re rounding in five minutes, Doctor Scott.” Brooke glanced up to see Lambert breeze past the desk, not looking at either of them. “Please be ready when I get back.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Lambert ignored the reply as she rounded the corner, out of sight.

“Right.” Brooke grabbed her water bottle, taking another sip before she put it away. “Guess I’d better read the rest of these.”

* * *

“Mister Kingston is a twenty-year-old male with multiple injuries sustained during a high-speed crash last night, while driving his motorcycle on the highway.”

Lambert nodded as she examined the man in the hospital bed before them. Several casts were already wrapped around his arms and legs, and what little exposed skin he had was visibly marred and scraped. “Nature of the injuries?”

“Multiple fractures, between his ribs, legs, pelvic ring, collarbone, and arms,” Brooke listed. “He was also diagnosed with a concussion and suffered a dislocation of his left shoulder.”

“And what are we doing for him?”

“Antibiotics to stave off possible infections, and he’s being kept under sedation to ensure he doesn’t exacerbate his injuries by moving.” Brooke double-checked the chart. “Ortho will be here in about thirty minutes for a more detailed exam."

“Will he be okay?” An older woman sat beside his bed with an anxious expression on her face. “They said he might need surgery.”

Lambert nodded to Brooke as she continued to examine the man’s casts. “I’m afraid he will,” Brooke replied gently. “His left tibia was broken pretty badly. The orthopedic surgeon will have more information for you, but they’ll likely have to pin the bone back together.”

“But… he’ll live?”

“He’s badly hurt, but his condition is stable.” Brooke nodded. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on him, to make sure he doesn’t get any worse.”

The woman, who she assumed was the guy’s mother, was visibly relieved. “Thank God,” she muttered as she glanced at her son. “Will he still be able to walk?”

“Mobility will be a problem for a little while, and it’s likely that he’ll need some physical therapy. But the orthopedic surgeon can tell you more about that.”

“Maybe he’ll stop making those stupid videos, then. It’s been killing his father, that he keeps taking those crazy risks.” She looked back at Brooke. “His friends, those idiots that keep giving him ideas. They can’t visit him in here, right?"

“No. Only family is allowed on this floor.”

“Good. Because if I see them, you’re going to have new patients to care for.”

Brooke allowed herself a small smirk. “Well, you can rest assured that they won’t make it past security.”

“Thank you.”

“All right.” Lambert stood back upright. “Let’s move on, Doctor Scott.”

She followed the older attending from the room, closing the door behind her. “Have you seen Miss Jones’ labs?” Lambert asked curtly, as they walked back to the charge desk.

“They came back this morning. Her white count is going back up, slowly.”

“What about Miss Rivers in bed six?”

“Her blood work will be finished this afternoon.”

“Has Mister Hall been sent up to CT?”

“Not yet, no.”

Lambert stopped and glanced at Brooke disapprovingly. She tried to keep from visibly wilting. “Why not?”

“Their machine went down this morning,” she explained quickly. “A technician is working on it right now. They won’t have it fixed until this afternoon.”

“Mm.” Lambert turned and resumed walking, leaving Brooke feeling like a broken scanner was somehow her fault. “We have free beds, right?”

“Um…” Brooke navigated through her tablet. “Four of them. Two, seven, and fourteen are available, but three hasn’t been cleaned yet.”

“Reserve room fourteen. Make sure we don’t put anyone in there.”

“Okay.” Brooke tapped the room icon. “What’s the patient’s name?”

“Berkowitz. First name Kara.”

She typed the name into the search bar. “… her chart’s not coming up.”

“Probably because she hasn’t been admitted yet. She’ll be arriving from Sacramento this afternoon.” They arrived at the desk, Lambert picking up her own tablet and logging in. “Kara is being flown in by helicopter from UC Davis, so that Doctor Harrison can perform an atrial myxoma resection tomorrow morning.”

Brooke frowned. “Aren’t there heart surgeons at UC Davis who can remove tumors?”

“There are. But Harrison is the top heart surgeon on the west coast, and Kara is the sixteen-year-old daughter of Senator Sarah Berkowitz, so she gets the best.”

“Oh.”

“Yep. You can expect to see an increase in security for the next couple of days.” Lambert tapped on her tablet a few times, before looking back up. “Kara will be staying her before the operation and will brought back here afterwards to recover. I wouldn’t expect her to be here for more than a couple of days, to include your overnight shift tomorrow. Speaking of,” she added, “it was made very clear that you are to have no interaction with the patient while she was here.”

Brooke felt her face get hot, as she dropped her gaze. “I understand,” she muttered.

“They initially didn’t want you here at all,” Lambert continued. “However, with Doctor Jameson working the night before and Doctor Patel on maternity leave, we have a limited number of physicians who can be here in case something happens.”

“… yea.”

Lambert studied her closely. “I’ll round with you when you come in tomorrow night,” she informed her. “After that, you shouldn’t need to see her. The nurses can handle her from there.”

“Okay.” Brooke nodded absently. “Sure thing.”

“All right. Make sure you stay on top of that CT. Mister Hall needs to head up there as soon as he can.”

With that, Lambert left Brooke at the desk by herself.

_Wonderful._ Brooke blew air out her nose as she leaned on the desk, rubbing her face as she closed her eyes. _They used to ask me if I’d ever thought about a future in cardiothoracic medicine._

_Oh, how the mighty have fucking fallen._

“Doctor Scott?”

She opened her eyes and turned to see a CNA in green scrubs standing before her. With a plastic bag containing a urine sample kit.

_And now my weekly level of humiliation has peaked._

“Hey, Beth.” Brooke sighed as she checked her watch. “Is it Friday already?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Right.” Brooke walked back behind the desk, retrieving her water bottle and taking a long drink before setting it back down. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”

* * *

“Hey, it could be worse.”

“I know it could be worse. It could always be worse.” Brooke shook her head as she sat in an uncomfortable folding metal chair later that night, in a nearby community center. “But I wouldn’t mind things getting a little fucking better, either.”

Her sponsor, an elderly woman named Claire, shrugged indifferently. “Have I told you how long it took me to rebuild my relationship with my son, after CPS took him away?”

“I know. Years.”

“Several of them.” Clair leaned back in her seat. “Your generation is so much more impatient than mine.”

“Well, your generation invented lawn darts and put linoleum over hardwood floors, so I guess that makes us even.”

Claire snorted in amusement. “Fair enough.”

“I’m not stupid. I knew this was going to suck, and that it would take a while.” Brooke rubbed her eyes. “But it feels like I’ve made no progress. Nothing at work has changed, my husband still refuses to talk to me, and I’ve done so many drug tests that I can pee on command.”

“Mm.” Claire pursed her lips in thought. “Have you tried wearing slutty underwear around the house?”

“Yep.”

“Still nothing?”

“Nope.”

“Well.” Claire sighed. “Does he still want a divorce?”

“… I don’t have the balls to ask him,” Brooke admitted. “I’m not sure if I want to know the answer.”

“You think not knowing makes it better?”

“No. But pretending does.”

Claire shook her head. “Do you need to recite the serenity prayer?”

“I’d rather not.”

“I think you should.”

“… fine,” Brooke sighed, as she looked back up. “God that I don’t believe in, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Also, if you’re still in a giving mood after all that, paying off my student loans would be awesome.”

“You kids are also bigger smartasses than we were.”

“I’ve watched George Carlin’s old stand-up acts. Don’t give me that bullshit.”


	32. Pericardium

**November 23 rd, 2024**

She decided to try something different, when she woke up the next morning.

Instead of her undershirt, she put on a light-blue bra with a bow in the middle that she knew Warren was fond of. She didn’t put on a shirt over it, instead folding down the elastic band of her sweatpants so they rode lower on her hips.

_That totally works,_ she thought as she checked herself out in the mirror. _Man, I look hot. If he doesn’t say SOMETHING, I…_

_Might actually have to ask if he still wants a divorce._

_No. Bad thoughts._ Brooke straightened her shoulders. _Good things will happen today._

She took her usual position in front of the sink as she waited for her husband’s alarm to sound. _I’m not supposed to be at the hospital for another ten hours. So if he asks, I was going to go for a run. And catch up on Netflix, then take a nap._

_… assuming he asks, anyway._ She played with her toothbrush. _Fuck, I am so desperate right now._

The minutes stretched out longer than they should have, without a trace of her husband’s alarm. Brooke finally put her toothbrush back and cracked the door into the living room.

Warren wasn’t there. The blanket was folded neatly on top of his pillow. His phone was absent from the charger, and the sneakers he wore to work were gone.

_Where the hell did he-_

_Oh. It’s the twenty-third. He had to go in early to set up the skills lab for the interns._

Her shoulders drooped, as she sagged in on herself.

_… he didn’t even say goodbye._

Brooke dragged herself over to the couch, collapsing down into the cushions. After a few seconds, she looked at the pillow. Gathering it up with the blanket, she pushed it into her nose and inhaled deeply, faintly smelling his shampoo.

She made sure she pulled away before her eyes got too wet.

_… fuck._

* * *

“It went well,” Lambert answered, responding to Brooke’s question later that evening. “Doctor Harrison was able to remove the tumor in its entirety.”

“Good.” Brooke nodded. “No complications?”

“None so far.” Lambert looked towards room fourteen. Two men in dark suits stood in front of it, their hands clasped together. “Her mother’s still with her, and she plans to stay the night. We’ve already set up a cot and brought her dinner, so she shouldn’t need anything.”

“Right. I’ll, uh, keep my distance.”

“I would if I were you. The other attendings have been in and out all day since she came out of surgery.” Lambert moved on to the next chart. “Miss Jennings is joining us from Neuro, following the insertion of a stent, and should sleep through the night. Miss Howe, on the other hand, has been showing discomfort all afternoon. Make sure you keep an eye on her foot.”

Brooke nodded. “Anything else?"

“Not as far as the patients are concerned.” Lambert logged out of her tablet and set it down in the rack. “But make sure you keep your ID around your neck. The guards have already detained two orderlies who forgot theirs.”

“… like, actually arrested them?”

“No, but they held them until their supervisor could collect them. While the senator is here, they’re not taking any chances.” Lambert stretched her arm. “I’m heading out in a few minutes.”

“Okay.” Brooke nodded. “I’m just gonna use the bathroom really quick. I’ll be right back.”

She was washing her hands a few minutes later, trying to ignore the unease in her stomach. _A patient I’m not allowed to be around. God, this is fucking…_

_No. Max said trust takes time to get back._ She sighed. _Just keep your head down. Don’t give them any reason to fire your ass. You will get through this._

She left the bathroom and headed back for the charge desk. As she got closer, she overhead a conversation between Lambert and a voice she quickly recognized as Doctor Greene, the hospital’s Chief of Staff that had put her on probation a few months prior.

“-you that she wasn’t to be anywhere near this patient,” he was saying sternly. “Why is she working tonight?”

“Because nobody else is available to do it,” Lambert replied evenly. “Can I go now?"

“I want someone else here.”

“Then maybe you should’ve approved those manpower change requests I’ve been sending to your office for the past two years. Do you have another doctor available?”

“I’ll send someone down from Internal Medicine-”

“Absolutely not. The last time you did that, we almost lost two patients.”

“The ER, then.”

“They’re even more short-staffed than we are.”

“Cardio. They should be here anyway.”

“Harrison had almost his entire department observing the surgery this morning, which means that the only ones left are interns. And one on-call resident, who can’t cover both services at the same time.”

“Doctor Scott needs to leave, Gina.”

“You sprang this situation on us at the last minute, with no time to prepare, and you’ve given me nobody to replace her with. By state regulations, a doctor has to be here at all times, so unless you want an angry CMA rep in your office tomorrow morning? I suggest that you put up or shut up.”

Silence followed her statement. “… she’d better not go anywhere near that patient,” Greene finally stated. His receding footsteps echoed behind him.

Before Brooke could move, Lambert rounded the other corner and came face-to-face with her. Where she had to have known Brooke had overheard everything. Lambert showed no concern as she saw her, though. “Do you have any questions?”

Brooke shook her head silently.

“Very well. Have a good night, Doctor Scott.”

With that, she walked past her, pushing her way out the door.

_… fuck._ Brooke sighed heavily. _Good thing I don’t have any self-esteem left._

* * *

“It just won’t stop throbbing.”

Brooke nodded as she examined Miss Howe’s foot, slowly peeling back the bandages. The middle-aged woman had gotten her ankle replaced with a titanium joint, and was still recovering from the surgery two days prior. “Is it a dull or a sharp pain?”

“Dull.” She winced. “But it feels like someone’s beating on it with a hammer. Has been all day. And it’s really warm, too. It’s not infected, is it?”

“It doesn’t appear to be.” Brooke smiled. “It’s definitely inflamed, which is to be expected, but I don’t see any indications of an infection.” She glanced at Lisa, who was examining the chart on a wheeled computer stand beside her. “She’s on steroids?"

“Yep.” Lisa turned the monitor. “A consistent dose since her surgery.”

Brooke examined the screen. “She might be resistant to the medication,” she mused. “It doesn’t seem to be having enough of an effect, in any case.”

“What do you want to do?”

“There’s a different steroid we can try.” Brooke looked back at Miss Howe. “I’m going to order a change of medication for you. Something that should be a little more effective. And we’ll get you an ice pack to help with the discomfort.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“Of course.”

She led the way outside, Lisa wheeling the computer behind her. The nurse opened the medication menu and scrolled through the list, as Brooke pulled out her phone. “This one, right? That was what you’re talking about?”

Brooke spared a quick glance. “Yea. That’s it.”

“Okay. I’ll put in the order.”

“Hang on, Lisa, I-”

Too late. The computer gave off a low beep. “… what does that mean?”

“I can’t order it. I’m calling Lambert to get her approval.”

Lisa frowned. “Wait, I… you can’t even prescribe steroids? They’re not controlled substances.”

“No, but I can’t override another doctor’s orders, either.”

Brooke found Lambert’s number and dialed, holding the phone to her ear. The call connected after a few seconds. “ _Yes, Doctor Scott?_ ”

“I’m sorry to bother you, Doctor Lambert. But Miss Howe’s foot isn’t improving.”

“ _Still inflamed?_ ”

“Yes. And she’s complaining of dull pain. I think she might be resistant to her steroid regimen, and I want to try a different one.”

“ _Mm._ ” Brooke felt Lambert considering the decision. “ _She allergic to any medications?_ ”

“None listed in her chart.’

“ _Any signs of infection?_ ”

“No.”

“ _How many rounds has she had?_ ”

“Six, so far.”

“ _Okay. Give me to the nurse._ ”

Brooke passed the phone to Lisa, who listened for a few seconds. “Understood,” she finally said. “Thank you.”

She hung up and gave the phone back, then re-entered the order with Lambert’s identification instead of Brooke’s. The change went through without any problems.

“How much longer do you have to do that?” Lisa asked, as she logged out of the computer and pushed it back towards the charge desk.

“Until they find a good reason to fire me,” Brooke replied dryly. “They never did set an end date.”

Lisa winced. “Sorry.”

“Is what it is, I suppose. That was the last one, right?”

“Yep. If you want to update her chart, I’ll take care of the medication really quick.”

“Sounds good.” Brooke walked behind the desk to the tablet rack, picking one up and logging in.

“I’m sorry, excuse me?” a voice piped up from around the corner. “Nurse?”

She looked back up, catching the sight of a middle-aged woman walking towards the desk. One of the men in suits walked behind her.

_… shit._

Brooke pressed herself to the wall, out of sight, as she watched the senator approach Lisa. “Yes, ma’am?” the nurse asked politely.

“I’m terribly sorry, but my daughter is… well, she’s really thirsty. Is there any way she can have something to drink?”

“Just a moment.” Lisa logged back into the computer, navigating to the chart that belonged to the senator’s daughter. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but Doctor Harrison has very clear instructions that she not eat or drink for twenty-four hours after the procedure.”

“Are you sure? Is there another doctor that can take a look?”

Lisa glanced around, then stepped backwards. As soon as she made eye contact, Brooke shook her head furiously.

“I’m sorry, there don’t seem to be any available at the moment.” Lisa stepped back. “She isn’t actually dehydrated; the IVs are taking care of that. But we have some sponges that can help with her dry mouth, which should make her more comfortable. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“Of course.”

The senator walked back to her daughter’s room, and Brooke relaxed.

_Christ. I can’t believe I’m actually hiding from patients. If I’d ever seen an intern do that, I would’ve kicked their ass._

_… then again, I am under orders threatening my job if I go anywhere near them._

Lisa walked back to check on her. “You okay?”

“Yea.” Brooke sighed. “You’ll, uh, take care of that?”

“Sure thing.”

* * *

“About a hundred and ten thousand.”

Lisa did a double take. “For real?”

“Yep.” Brooke smirked, as the two of them snacked on chips in the ICU break room. “Med school ain’t cheap.”

“I thought it was at Stanford?”

“It is, relatively, but it’s still a five-figure tuition. Plus I had to get my bachelor’s degree first.”

“And how much do you make a year?”

“About a hundred grand. A huge chunk of which I have to give back to the bank for my loans.” Brooke scoffed. “Shit, I’ve been paying for years, but with the interest rate? I’ve barely made a dent.”

“Damn.” Lisa leaned back in her seat. “Maybe it’s not worth it after all.”

“Well, think about it. Once those loans are all paid off, I’m pulling in big bucks. And certain specialists can make three or four times what I make now. There’s a reason all those older doctors drive Ferraris and Porsches.”

Lisa sighed. “And it only costs a couple decades of debt slavery,” she lamented.

“Some would argue that it’s a small price to pay.”

“Maybe. I dunno, though.” Lisa shrugged. “I like not having any student loans right now. And there isn’t enough left over from my grandmother’s estate to get an MD.”

“How much is left?”

“For me, about twenty grand.”

“Mm. Yea, that might cover a quarter of it.” Brooke looked up in thought. “Though if you don’t have any undergrad loans, you won’t have nearly as much debt as I do.”

“… huh.” Lisa tapped her finger to her lips as she mused. “Maybe I should talk to someone at the admissions office, then. See some numbers. I mean, if I can make a hundred grand a year with only-”

The tablet beside them started beeping, an alarm that indicated a patient was in distress. Lisa hesitated for a split-second before grabbing it. “It’s room fourteen, she’s having heart palpitations!”

The two of them jumped up and started running. A small voice in the back of Brooke’s head reminded her that she wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near the senator, or her daughter.

_Nobody else is here._

_Don’t have a choice._

The CNAs were already pushing their way into the room with a crash cart. Brooke and Lisa ran in behind them to the sight of the senator shaking her daughter’s arm, a frantic look on her face.

“What happened?” Brooke asked in a clipped voice.

“I-I-I don’t know!” she exclaimed hysterically. “We were talking, a-and then she said her ch-ch-chest started feeling tight, and she c-couldn’t breathe, and then she fainted!”

“Page Cardio, right now,” Brooke ordered as she yanked the daughter’s gown open and unslung her stethoscope, placing it to her chest beside the bandages. “Muffled heart sounds. She’s in cardiac tamponade.”

“What does that mean?!” the senator demanded. “What’s going on!?”

Brooke ignored her, re-slinging the stethoscope as her mind raced through the symptoms. _Tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, and cardiac tamponade following heart surgery. Could be…_ “I need the ultrasound, right now.”

Lisa placed the sensor into her hand and squirted the gel on the daughter’s chest. Brooke pressed it into the skin, watching the monitor as the pulsing sound waves echoed through the room. “There. It’s a pericardial effusion. Where’s Cardio?” she called over her shoulder to the CNA currently on the phone.

“The on-call doctor got paged to the OR an hour ago,” he reported. “He’s assisting with an emergency surgery. No one else is here.”

Brooke looked back at the heart monitor, reading all of the daughter’s vital signs in a single glance. “Tell them to let him know that their VIP patient just developed an acute pericardial effusion,” she instructed. “And she’s two minutes from flatlining.”

“Even if he started sprinting, he won’t get here in time,” Lisa reminded her.

“I know.” Brooke took a half a second to draw a breath. “Give me an eighteen-gauge spinal needle.”

“What are you doing?!” the senator exclaimed. “What’s happening?!”

“Fluid has built up in your daughter’s pericardium, the sac around her heart.” Brooke didn’t look at her as she quickly put on gloves. “It’s putting pressure on it, squeezing the heart, and now it can’t pump blood. I have to drain the fluid, right now.”

“What?! Is she going to be okay?!”

“Yes. But you need to leave.” Brooke glanced at one of the suited men behind the senator. “Get her out of here. Now.”

He immediately escorted the hyperventilating senator from the room as Brooke accepted the large, several-inch-long needle from one of the CNAs. Lisa quickly swabbed iodine around the daughter’s chest. Brooke used her fingers to count ribs, then took a marker from the CNA to blot the injection site

Trying to ignore the alarms coming from the machines, Brooke angled the needle in the teenager’s skin.

_Don’t fuck up._

She slowly pushed it through. Lisa held a piece of gauze under the needle with one hand and positioned the ultrasound sensor with the other. Brooke watched the monitor carefully, as the needle got closer.

_Not too deep, or you’ll hit the heart. Just enough to puncture the sac._

Closer, closer…

After a few seconds, she felt slight resistance. A small extra push, and she felt a _pop_ as she penetrated the pericardium. Blood immediately shot up the needle, flowing into the attached bag.

“Got it,” she breathed, visibly relaxing. “What’s the word on Cardio?”

“Ten minutes,” the CNA on the phone answered. “He’s finishing as quickly as he can.”

Brooke sighed, watching the bag slowly fill as the daughter’s heart rate steadily went back to normal. “What do you think happened?” Lisa finally asked.

“Well, it’s blood, so my guess is that we just caught a surgical complication.” Brooke used a free hand to wipe her forehead. “They had to make an incision to remove the tumor from her heart. She probably threw a suture, and blood filled the pericardium.”

“… damn.” Lisa looked at the bag. “Almost thirty CCs so far.”

“Must’ve been quick, then. Too fast for the sac to swell and compensate.”

“I guess. Now what?”

“We wait for Cardio. They’ll have to open her back up.”

_And hope they don’t decide to fire my ass._ Though she kept that thought to herself.


	33. Lambert

**November 24 th, 2024**

“You were given explicit instructions not to go near that patient.”

Brooke had, as she figured, been held over when the other doctors had arrived that morning. As far as she knew, the senator’s daughter was still in surgery. Once Doctor Greene had arrived, he’d pulled her into his office with a few other members of the hospital’s board.

“You could have killed that girl,” he continued angrily. “You are not a member of the Cardiothoracic service and were operating unsupervised. The senator’s daughter is lucky to be alive.”

“It was an emergency,” Brooke said defensively. Though she could tell that the other doctors in the room didn’t give a damn. “Cardio wasn’t there. And I’ve performed a pericardiocentesis before.”

“That may be, but you are NOT authorized to perform that procedure now.”

“Nobody else was around to do it. And she was about to die.”

“That, Doctor Scott, is a matter of opinion. Doctor Harrison is still performing surgery to fix your mistake.”

“It wasn’t-”

“And I’ve been informed that you tried to order medication last night, overriding another doctor’s orders,” he added. “Were the terms of your probation unclear?”

“I didn’t. A nurse accidentally-”

“The nurses do what the doctors tell them do. Don’t blame them for your actions.”

_… motherfucker._ Brooke could tell there was no good end to the meeting. _Guess I am about to get fired._

“That makes two probation violations in a twenty-four-hour period. Which is, quite frankly, more than enough.” Greene held out his hand. “Give me your credentials. You can consider yourself-”

“Oh, no you don’t.”

Brooke blinked as Lambert shoved her way into the office, slamming the door behind her. An expression she’d never seen before was on her boss’s face, one of unbridled fury. “You want to explain to me why there’s an informal disciplinary hearing for one of my doctors taking place, and her DEPARTMENT HEAD was not told?”

Greene gave her a look. “Last night’s probation violations-”

“Were both well within the scope of her duties as a physician.” Lambert folded her arms. “I just spoke with Harrison, and he confirmed Doctor Scott’s diagnosis. One of the sutures in Miss Berkowitz’s heart broke, which resulted in blood filling the pericardium. If Doctor Scott hadn’t acted as quickly as she did, that young woman would’ve died.”

“Just because her rogue behavior turned out for the best does not-”

“And if you think for a SECOND that you’re going to trump up violations to fire her over, you’ve got another thing coming,” Lambert continued. “I authorized the medication override, not her.”

“The hospital computer system shows that she tried to prescribe it first.”

“One of my nurses admitted that she did so by accident, without knowing the full scope of Doctor Scott’s restrictions.” Lambert pointed a finger at Greene. “If she is to be fired, it will be due to her own incompetence, not your over-inflated ego.”

Brooke was taken aback at how Lambert spoke to their Chief of Staff. Her shock didn’t have time to register, though, as Greene continued. “It doesn’t matter. She performed a procedure that she wasn’t authorized to perform.”

“Yes, and as a result, the patient lived. If she hadn’t taken the initiative, you’d be consoling a United States senator on the death of her child right now.”

“That isn’t-”

“And before you make a decision, you should know that Senator Berkowitz is extremely interested in thanking Doctor Scott in person, for saving her daughter’s life,” Lambert added. “I don’t know if you follow politics, but the honorable senator is something of a champion for women’s rights. I’m sure she’d love to hear that a panel of men fired the female doctor who saved her daughter’s life, simply because they believed she overstepped her bounds.”

Greene’s face turned a deep shade of red. Brooke tried very hard to stay silent, not even risking taking a breath, as she stood frozen.

“This is unacceptable.”

“But you’ll accept it nevertheless.”

He slowly took a breath through his nose. Brooke was pretty sure he was counting to ten, before he finally exhaled. “… fine,” he ground out. “You may go, Doctor Scott.”

“No. Stay,” Lambert ordered, before Brooke could turn to leave. “We’re not finished.”

“We are most definitely-”

“Doctor Scott not only made an on-the-spot diagnosis, she acted cool under pressure and performed a difficult procedure flawlessly, thus saving a patient’s life. Further, as has been shown, her probation is restricting her from her full potential. She’s passed all of her mandated drug tests, and her behavior since her return to this hospital has been flawless.”

Lambert looked around the room. “Four of the six members of the board are present, so a majority vote can be made. As a department head, I make an immediate motion that her probation be terminated.”

Greene scoffed, the others looking between each other and murmuring. “If you think for a second that I’m going to-”

“Alex Castlebeck.”

Brooke had never seen a room go so quiet so quickly, like all the air had been sucked out at once. Greene flinched at the name, and the others looked extremely uncomfortable.

_Who the hell is Alex Castlebeck?_

“… that situation has no bearing here,” he finally stated.

“I disagree. And I think Doctor Scott’s lawyer will, as well.”

_I have a lawyer?_

“You signed a non-disclosure agreement.”

“And we both know that no judge in the world will give that paper any weight, after I tell them what happened.” She turned her glare to the other three. “I can keep going, if we like. Plenty more relevant skeletons to drag out of the closet. Or you can second the motion, like good little paper-pushers, and we can all get back to work.”

Greene’s face was now turning purple. But he swallowed, hard, before taking a breath. “… I second the motion,” he ground out.

Lambert looked around the room. “All in favor?”

The others looked at each other, before slowly raising their hands. Greene was the last one, and he didn’t turn his glare from Lambert.

“Good. Don’t worry, I’ll call IT myself and have them fix her restrictions in the system.” Lambert nodded at Brooke. “Come along, Doctor Scott. We have some paperwork do to.”

* * *

_… I’m really off probation._

Brooke was still trying to wrap her head around that, as she rode the elevator with Lambert back to the ICU.

_Holy shit. They were really about to fire me._

_And instead I’m off probation._

“… thank you,” she said in a small voice, finally breaking the silence.

Lambert slowly reached out, hitting the emergency stop button on the elevator. Brooke cringed backwards, into the wall, thinking that she was about to be chewed out.

“You’re welcome.”

She blinked as Lambert finally turned and gave her a smug smile. “Those assholes only care about how the hospital looks. And whether or not the appearance affects their bonuses,” she added. “Don’t worry about them.”

The smile on her boss’s face was disconcerting. Mostly because Brooke had never seen her do it. “I’m… really off probation,” she stated hesitantly. “Right?”

“As they said. I’ll have your privileges fixed by the time you come in tomorrow.” Lambert paused. “They weren’t completely wrong, you know. What you did was incredibly risky and could’ve backfired.”

“… I know, but… I mean, it was that or she died for sure.”

“Which is why it was the right call to make.” Lambert nodded. “I know you were fond of working in the ER. And that you were being courted by Cardio for a little while. But I hope you’ll consider staying in the ICU.”

“Really?”

“Certainly. You’re extremely competent, and most of the other doctors that work here are scared of me for some reason.” Lambert shrugged indifferently. “As they say, good help is hard to find. I know we’re a smaller department, but we practice a wider variety of medicine. And I think you’ll flourish more with less people breathing down your neck.”

Brooke looked at her warily. “Even with my… history?”

“Don’t get me wrong, if I ever catch you stealing a patient’s medication, you’ll wish I’d let Doctor Greene fire you,” Lambert asserted. “But you seem to be doing well at bouncing back. And nobody’s career is spotless.”

“… okay.” Brooke nodded. “I, uh, do like working there.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Um…” she hesitated. “Who’s Alex Castlebeck?”

“Don’t know who you’re talking about.” Lambert turned around, hitting the emergency button again, and the elevator resumed its upward climb. “But if you enjoy being out of the administration’s crosshairs, then I would suggest forgetting that you ever heard that name.”

_… enough said._

* * *

By the time she finished doing her required paperwork and getting hugged by the senator (too tightly, she thought), it was almost noon. Normally she would’ve taken a nap following an overnight shift, but she was too keyed up to sleep.

She decided to try cooking an actual dinner instead, grabbing what she needed from a nearby grocery store. A few hours later, she had what she thought was a passable meal of chicken, baked potatoes, and vegetables.

_Better than those Lean Cuisines we keep eating,_ she figured as she pulled the chicken from the oven.

She was just dishing the food out when the apartment door unlocked. Warren walked in and kicked off his shoes, sighing tiredly as he hung up his hoodie.

“Hey.” Brooke smiled at him. “I made dinner.”

“Oh.” Warren blinked in surprise. “I figured you’d be asleep.”

“Wasn’t tired.” She put two plates down at their table. “How was your day?”

“Uneventful.” He shrugged. “Spent most of the day looking at MRIs. New patient has a tumor in his head the size of a golf ball.”

“Damn.”

“Yes. Sucks for him.” Warren took a bite of his food. “That’s pretty good.”

“Thank you.”

She took her own bite, as she waited for him to continue. But he didn’t. He just focused on his plate, clearly hungry as he powered through the chicken.

_No. Yea. My day was uneventful, too._ Brooke dropped her gaze into her plate. _Fuck._

_… okay. Screw it._

“What do you want?” she asked quietly.

Warren looked up. “Huh?”

“From me.” Brooke looked at him, making eye contact. “I don’t know how many more times I can apologize for what I did. And you won’t tell me how I can make up for it.” She took a short breath. “… do you still want a divorce?”

He leaned back in his chair, looking at her silently.

“… please say something.” Brooke rubbed her eyes, trying not to let them get wet. “I love you. I don’t want to lose you. But I know that I did a terrible thing. If you want to leave me… I know I can’t stop you. And nobody would blame you. But please just tell me, because I don’t know how much more I can take of you just stringing me along like this.”

“I’m not stringing you along, Bro-”

“Then TELL ME,” she begged. “Tell me what you want. If you really do want a divorce, or if I can do something to make up for what I did. Please say something more substantial than a three-word sentence.”

He didn’t seem to be sure how to answer her, as he looked at her hesitantly. So Brooke decided to go for broke. “They ended my probation today,” she informed him.

“They did?”

“Yea. Right after Greene told me that I was fired.”

Warren did a double take. “How- wait, what does that mean?”

“Our VIP patient, the senator’s daughter? She developed an acute pericardial effusion last night in the ICU. I had to perform an emergency pericardiocentesis to save her life.”

“… that was you?” he asked incredulously. “Everyone in Neuro was talking about that.”

“Yea, it was me. Greene was pissed, because I was told to stay away from her, and tried to fire me.” Brooke took a shaky breath. “But that was before Doctor Lambert walked in, pimp-slapped him and the other board members, then forced them to end my probation.”

Warren had an astonished look on his face. “How the hell did Lambert force him to do anything?”

“I have no idea. But she did.” Brooke licked her lips. “I know it’s only been a few months. But I can’t take it anymore. I really, really need you to tell me what I can do. Or if your mind’s made up, and I can’t do anything to change it… I want to know that, too.”

Her husband had an extremely conflicted look on his face. Brooke held her breath as he gathered his thoughts, not daring to hope for him to say what she wanted to hear. Finally, after almost a minute, he sighed. “… I don’t know.”

Brooke blinked, looking at him, before she dropped her gaze to the plate in front of her. After a few seconds, she slowly pushed it away.

“What are you doing?” Warren asked as she stood.

“… going to bed,” she murmured. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

He didn’t try to stop her as she left, shutting the bedroom door behind her.

* * *

_… maybe I do need to talk to a lawyer._

She was curled up in her bed a few hours later, staring at the empty pillow beside her.

_Fuck. No. If I do that, I don’t know if there’s any turning back._

_But… he already has. I wonder if he’s been back to see him. Maybe he’s preparing to take me to the cleaners._

_Yea, right. Not like I have anything worth taking if we split up._ She felt moisture slowly seeping into her eyes, and quickly wiped them on her pillow. _Christ, that would be something. “I, the judge, hereby award you half of the movie collection and the PS5.”_

_Maybe he would. Just to spite me for costing him the spot with Collins. He doesn’t even play it, so he’d probably just pitch it in the dumpster once I was out of sight._

_Oh, hell. I don’t even think I could see a lawyer if I wanted to. I don’t have a clue how I’d pay them, between finding a new place to live and my student loans._ Brooke sank further into her pillow, the weight of her depression smothering her. _Fucking fuck._

She resolved to stop thinking about it, as she rolled over and tried to relax. But with her mind racing in circles, sleep escaped her.

It was almost midnight before she finally heard movement from the living room. She picked up her head in time to watch the bedroom door open, Warren sliding inside and closing the door behind him. Brooke sat upright in bed, not speaking as he made his way over to his side of the bed.

“I’m still a little mad at you,” he told her.

She averted her gaze. “… I figured.”

“I’ve been working for that spot with Collins’ team since we were interns. It was promised to me three months before you stole those pills. And it’s entirely your fault that I lost it.”

“I know.” She sniffed. “I’m sorry.”

“Between that and the arguing, the gaslighting, how I was mocked and belittled for making a mountain out of a molehill… I think I was justified in talking to a lawyer.”

“I never said you weren’t.”

Warren sighed heavily. “But… the AMA says addiction is a sickness,” he allowed. “And I did say ‘in sickness and in health’, back on that beach. And I meant it.” He paused. “Even if I wasn’t completely sober.”

Brooke couldn’t keep her mouth from twitching in a smirk. “Ordering all those Irish Car Bombs was your idea.”

“I know.” He took a breath. “I don’t want a divorce. I don’t think I ever did. I just wanted my wife back.”

“… does that mean you’re done sleeping on the couch?” Brooke asked hopefully.

Warren slowly nodded. “That thing isn’t comfortable anyway,” he admitted.

Brooke pulled back on the comforter, as Warren climbed into bed beside her. As soon as he laid down, she dropped her head onto his chest, wrapping an arm around him. She tried to stop sniffling, as she gripped him tightly and closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, snorting deeply. “I’m so sorry, Warren.”

He curled his arm around her shoulders. “… I know.”

“I promise, I’m gonna spend the rest of my life regretting what I did.” Brooke sniffled again. “Please tell me how I can make it right. I swear, I’ll do anything.”

Warren hummed, bending his neck down and kissing her forehead. “… you could go put those black panties back on.”

Brooke smirked, quickly wiping her face. “So you did notice.”

“Of course I did. I was mad at you, not blind.”

She moved her head so that she looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. “I’ve, uh, been hoping that you’d come back to bed for months,” she informed him, a smirk creeping over her face. “I’m not wearing anything under these sweatpants."

“… well, shit,” Warren remarked, as he tightened his grip. “Maybe we’re not sleeping tonight after all.”

* * *

**Brooke:** They ended my probation.

**Max:** That’s great!! I told you that you’d get their trust back.

**Brooke:** It was less that, and more of my department head strong-arming them into submission. After I saved the life of our senator’s daughter.

**Max:** Really?

**Brooke:** Pretty crazy story, actually. Would’ve made a good Grey’s Anatomy sub-plot.

**Max:** You’ll have to tell me sometime. What did Warren say when you told him?

**Brooke:** Not much, at first. Before we started talking about everything else.

**Brooke:** Though it was mostly just me asking how I could finally make things right.

**Max:** What did he say?

**Brooke:** Well… he doesn’t want a divorce anymore.

**Max:** Did you? Find a way to make things right, I mean.

**Brooke:** Fuck yea I did :)

**Max:** … I don’t want to know.

**Brooke:** About which time? The one in the bedroom, the living room, the kitchen, or the shower?

**Max:** As much as I LOVE that our friendship is back to where we’re having these kinds of discussions, I cannot emphasize enough how much I don’t want to know.


	34. Resort

**December 5 th, 2024**

“Holy crap, Vic.”

Victoria chuckled as Taylor entered the plane behind her, looking around. “I know. Not bad, right?”

“Wow,” Max said in awe as she walked in behind Taylor. “This thing is nicer than my first apartment. And bigger.”

Victoria smirked as she sat on one of the seats, spinning the chair easily. The plane was very luxurious, with wooden accents and plush leather chairs. A pair of tables were set up on either side of a walkway, and there was more seating behind them. The plane had twelve seats overall, and was tall enough that nobody had to bow their heads when they stepped inside. “It also costs a lot more,” Victoria reminded her.

“No kidding.”

A steward appeared beside them, clearing his throat. “May I take anyone’s coat?”

“Oh. Um, yea.” Max shed her jacket, Taylor following suit. “Guess we won’t need these where we’re going.”

“It’s in the eighties on Oahu, so I doubt it.” Taylor passed her jacket to the steward with Max’s. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Please take your seats.”

Max sat beside Victoria, Taylor taking a seat across from them. “How early are we?” she asked.

“About twenty minutes,” Max answered. “Steph did say she was-”

“I’m here! I’m…” On cue, the brunette appeared in the doorway, blinking as she took in the plane. “… woah.”

Victoria snorted. “Easy, Steph. You look like someone who’s never flown private before.”

“No shit.” Steph walked inside, slowly taking a seat beside Taylor. “Man, this thing is amazing. I don’t think I can ever fly coach again.”

The steward reappeared beside her. “Your jacket, Miss?”

Steph jumped in surprise. “The f- where did you come from?”

He smirked in response. “I’m sorry, Miss. May I take your coat?”

“Um… yea. Sure.” Steph shed her hoodie and handed it to him. “Thanks, man.”

“You’re welcome.”

As he walked back to the coat closet, a thunder of steps sounded up the ramp. The steward had to sidestep quickly to avoid Alice, as she raced onto the plane at full speed.

“WOW!!” She exclaimed as she looked around. “This is SO COOL!! I wanna see out the window!!”

The others snickered as Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Alice, have you flown before?”

She shook her head enthusiastically. “Nuh-uh!”

“Then you want to sit right there.” Victoria pointed to the seat across the table from her. “Make sure you buckle your seat belt.”

Alice immediately clambered into the seat. She was fishing for the seat belts as Kate entered the plane, making right for her daughter and stopping beside her. “Alice Marsh-Gonzales, what did I say when we got out of the terminal?” she asked sternly.

“… no running,” Alice muttered.

“Do you want to be grounded while we’re in Hawaii?”

She shook her head.

“Then you’d better start paying attention, young lady.” Kate pointed at her. “No more running at airports. Understand?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Good.” Kate finally glanced around the inside of the aircraft. “Wow, Victoria, your dad’s plane looks incredible.”

“Sure beats First Class,” Taylor agreed. “Man, there is so much room in here.”

Steph looked at her. “You get to fly First Class?”

“Not often, but yea.” Taylor shrugged. “Perks of being an executive.”

“Did you guys hear from Courtney?” Max asked. “I tried texting her, but she didn’t reply.”

“I called her. She’s been on the road for a few hours.” Taylor checked her phone. “She should be here by now.”

“I saw her get to the counter when we went through.” Kate bent over, peering out the window over Alice’s head. “There she is. Just handed over her luggage.”

A few minutes later, Courtney stepped into the plane. “Dammit,” she sighed, as she looked around. “I hate being last.”

“Then live closer,” Taylor offered dryly.

“I might have to think about it.” Courtney took off her jacket, handing it to the steward without him asking. “Especially if we start flying like this more often. Beats the hell out of the last private jet I flew on.”

Kate tilted her head. “You fly private a lot?”

“Sometimes, when we’re moving expensive clothing. Easier to make sure it doesn’t get damaged on a private plane.” Courtney took a seat opposite Taylor. “But the last one I was in was a tiny little Learjet. This thing is definitely made to move people in style.”

The steward reappeared at the door, pulling it shut and locking it. “Everyone please ensure their seat belts are buckled,” he announced. “We’ll begin taxiing shortly.”

* * *

The takeoff was uneventful, other than Kate’s effort to keep Alice in her seat. The four-year-old refused to sit still as she craned her neck, trying to look out the window as the plane took off and gained altitude. The steward came back as they all undid their seat belts, took their drink orders, and went into the back of the plane to fix them.

“So.” Courtney turned to Victoria. “Do we have a plan for the next few days, or are we playing it by ear?”

“We’re… flexible,” Victoria allowed. “Max and I did come up with a few things. But we left plenty of room.”

“Like what?” Kate asked curiously.

“Well, we didn’t plan anything for today,” Max answered. “We figured we could drop our stuff off at the hotel and hit the beach, since we’re right on the water.”

“We’re also doing a spa day tomorrow,” Victoria continued. “And the day after is the kid’s sleepover thing, so I guess that’s when we go hit a club or something. Other than that, we can hit up the concierge and see if there’s anything we want to do.”

Steph hummed. “I could go for some beach time.”

“Excuse me?” Taylor looked at her incredulously. “We’re doing a spa tomorrow, and your first though is about the beach?”

“I’ve been to a spa!” Steph said defensively. “I haven’t been to a beach in twenty years!”

Courtney smirked as she looked over Steph’s skin. “Yea, I can tell.”

“Oh, bite me.”

The steward reappeared with their drinks. “Here we go,” he said as he started handing them out. “A coke for the young lady, three diet cokes, a water, and two mimosas.”

“Thank you,” Courtney said appreciatively as she took her champagne glass. “Been looking forward to this.”

Kate raised an eyebrow. “It’s eight o’clock in the morning.”

“Yea. And we’re on vacation.” Taylor took a generous sip from her glass. “I worked seventy hours last week to get stuff in order before I left.”

“And I’ve been working on everyone’s dresses non-stop since I got the fabric,” Courtney added. “Plus, I haven’t had a proper vacation in years. No offense to Vic or Steph, but I plan to spend very little of the next five days sober.”

“That was the idea,” Victoria agreed. “It’s been a long year. Everyone should get a chance to relax and unwind before the wedding.”

Kate pursed her lips as she looked at Taylor and Courtney. Then the soda in front of her. After a few seconds, she sighed and raised her hand. The steward reappeared quickly. “Yes?”

“I’ve changed my mind. I want a mimosa too.”

“Right away, ma’am.”

Taylor’s eyebrows shot to the top of her head as the steward walked away. “… did we just corrupt you?”

“Hey, it’s been a long year for me, too.” Kate smirked. “I think dealing with my mother took five years off my life.”

“Oh my God, we got Kate to drink,” Courtney said in a hushed voice. “Does this mean we’re going to hell?”

“I used to drink before!”

“Also, I think a bisexual, capitalist executive like me is going to hell for much better reasons than corrupting Kate,” Taylor countered.

Victoria shook her head as she looked at Kate. “How is your mother?”

Kate sighed again. “Angry at my father,” she admitted. “I won’t let her in the house, after what she said to you and Max. But my dad knows he’s welcome, and he visits a lot. I think it’s starting to put a serious strain on their relationship.”

Max winced. “… sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m not.” Kate shrugged. “She wants to be a hateful bigot, she can do it at someone else’s house.”

The steward came back with Kate’s mimosa as she finished. “Here you are, miss.”

“Thank you so much.”

“What’s that?” Alice piped up, as she looked at the champagne flute.

“It’s called a mimosa,” Kate answered, as she took a sip. “Wow, that is good.”

“Can I have one?”

The sound of everyone saying “No” made the girls pause, before they all started laughing.

* * *

“I don’t think I can move.”

Victoria glanced beside her at Taylor, as they lounged in their beach chairs several hours later. They’d gotten to the island, immediately dropped their luggage in their hotel rooms, changed into their bathing suits, and made straight for the private beach behind the resort. They’d been there for the last hour, relaxing in the sun. “That’s what you get for having five mimosas on the plane.”

“I don’t even care.” Taylor sighed as she sank deeper into the cushions. “This is nirvana.”

“You did put sunscreen on, right?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Oh, shut up.” Victoria rolled her eyes. “You’re not gonna enjoy the spa tomorrow if you’re burnt to a crisp.”

“Leave her be,” Max said dreamily from Victoria’s other side. “Just relax, babe.”

“I’m trying.” Victoria peeked over her sunglasses as she looked at her fiancée. “You’re not making it easy, though. I wasn’t sure about that one-piece, but you are definitely distracting.”

Max chuckled as she cracked an eye open, looking over Victoria’s blue bikini. “You’re pretty distracting yourself.”

“Gross,” Steph muttered from Max’s other side. “Get a room.”

Victoria snickered as she looked at Steph, then stopped. “Wait, are you seriously still wearing your beanie?”

“Yep.”

“Dude, it’s almost ninety degrees out, and we’re on a beach. How is your brain not melting?”

Steph shrugged. “I am above such mortal concerns at the moment. Besides, how would people know who I was if I wasn’t wearing it?”

“Sacrificing health for fashion, then?”

“Exactly.”

“… fair enough,” Victoria allowed with a smirk. “Did you pick out the bikini to match it?”

Steph squirmed, looking down at the white bathing suit with red trim that she was wearing. “… not by myself.”

“Her girlfriend picked it out for her,” Max said, glancing over. “Right?”

“She… had input,” Steph allowed, as her face started to flush.

“Is she okay with you being here without her?”

“She was surprisingly fine with it.” Steph reached into her purse and produced a white case, removing a pair of AirPods and inserting them into her ears. “I’m gonna ignore you all now.”

Victoria snickered as Steph lay back down. “I’m starting to think she may be making this girlfriend up.”

“Oh, leave her alone.” Max sighed as she settled back into her beach chair. “This was a good choice, by the way.”

“I agree.” Victoria looked out towards the ocean. Kate was in her own swimsuit, helping Alice build a sizeable sandcastle near the water. “Looks like they’re having fun,” she allowed as she glanced at Taylor. “Is Courtney still asleep?”

Taylor peeked beside her. The dark-haired girl was lying face-down on her lounge chair, the back string of her bikini undone, and hadn’t moved for almost an hour. “Yep,” Taylor confirmed. “I can hear her snoring.”

Crunching sand sounded behind them. Victoria turned to see a barefoot waiter with a Hawaiian shirt approach them as he balanced a tray of drinks. “Okay, who had the virgin Daiquiris?” he asked.

“Us. And her.” Max waved between her, Victoria, and Steph. “The ones with booze are for those two.”

With a snort, Courtney’s head picked up. “Booze?”

The others snickered as the waiter handed out the drinks. “Is that the magical trigger word?” Victoria teased.

“Fuck yes, it is.” Courtney retied her top before swinging her feet around, sitting upright to accept her drink. “Damn, that looks good.”

Taylor took hers as well, frowning as she looked at the others. “Why do theirs have a slice of pineapple, and ours don’t?” she asked the waiter.

“We use the extra fruit to tell the virgin drinks from the ones with alcohol,” he explained politely. “Would you like a slice?”

“No. I was just curious.”

“Of course.” He smiled at the others. “Were we wanting anything else? Maybe something to eat?”

Max perked up. “We can get food out here?”

“Yes ma’am.” He produced a small menu from his cargo pocket. “Just let me know what looks good.”

* * *

“Why am I not surprised?”

Max smirked as she drizzled syrup over the waffle stick. “Because you know me so well.”

Victoria rolled her eyes as she sat beside Max on the lounge chair. Steph sat on the other side of Max, and Taylor, Courtney, and Kate shared the lounge chair opposite them. In the middle was a small table full of the snacks they’d just ordered.

“What IS it with your waffle obsession?” Taylor asked curiously. “Like, I’ve never seen you order anything else if it was an option.”

“Uh, because they’re awesome?” Max raised an eyebrow. “Fried dough with sugary syrup? I mean, what more could you want?”

“I don’t know, other breakfast food?”

“Don’t,” Victoria told her, shaking her head. “Trust me, you’re wasting your breath.”

“Mm.” Taylor shrugged “Fair enough. Can I try one?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t even think about it.” Courtney slapped Taylor’s outstretched hand away. “Your dress is already finished. If you gain weight now, I’ll kill you.”

Taylor glared at her friend. “We’re on vacation. I’m having a damn waffle stick.”

“Bad word,” Alice commented, as she sat at Kate’s feet and munched on a French fry.

“You tell her, sweetie.” Kate squeezed Alice’s shoulder. “So everything is done, then, with the dresses?”

“Yep.” Courtney reached out and plucked a carrot stick from the plate in front of them. “Four bridesmaid dresses, one flower girl dress, and a white cloak. All made with a minimal amount of blood spilled.”

Steph furrowed her brow. “… you spilled blood?”

“Needles are sharp, man.”

The waiter reappeared beside them, two more drinks in his hands. “Here you are,” he said as he handed one each to Kate and Alice. “Two more Daiquiris.”

“Thank you!” Alice said sweetly as she took the drink in one hand, moving the pineapple slice so she could sip at the straw.

“You’re very welcome. Enjoy.”

Kate hummed as she sipped hers. “Ooh, you were right. That’s delicious.”

“I know.” Steph tilted her head. “Though I notice there’s no pineapple in yours, either.”

“Well, as has been said, we’re on vacation.” Kate shrugged as she took another sip. “I have decided that I can enjoy a few adult beverages and still keep a safe eye on my child.”

Victoria sighed deeply. “I envy all of your self-restraint so much.”

The others squirmed uncomfortably, before Taylor spoke up. “… do you want us to st-”

“No. Of course not.” Victoria sipped from her own glass. “I might miss the booze, but I definitely don’t miss what comes after. And I’m not going to enforce my sobriety on anyone. I was trying to make a joke, not complain.”

“Agreed.” Steph hefted her drink. “Besides, these things are just as good without rum.”

“… okay.” Taylor nodded, then looked at Max. “Those really do look good. Can I have your last one?”

Max shrugged, pushing the plate towards Taylor. “All yours.”

“Excuse me!” Courtney huffed. “What did I just say?”

“Alright, you know what?” Taylor grabbed the last packet of syrup. “Choke on this, Court.”

With that, she ripped the corner off and shoved it into her mouth, squeezing the packet and slurping greedily.

Courtney’s mouth dropped open as Max, Victoria, Steph, Kate, and Alice started laughing. “Oh my God!” Courtney exclaimed, clearly disgusted. “What is WRONG with you?!”

Taylor dropped the empty packet, then grabbed the waffle stick and jammed it into her mouth. “Fuck your diet,” she mumbled, not making any effort to keep her mouth closed as she chewed. “Mama’s on vacation, and she’s gettin’ FAT.”


	35. Clubbing

**December 7 th, 2024**

“It doesn’t seem like it should take this long to check a kid into a sleepover party.”

Max rolled her eyes as she looked at Taylor. “And how would you know?”

“Granted, I wouldn’t. But this seems like too long.” Taylor checked her watch. “It’s been, like, twenty minutes. Couldn’t she just make Alice do a tuck-and-roll or something?”

“I’m sure there’s plenty of paperwork to fill out,” Victoria reminded her. “Emergency contact information, liability releases, medical forms… I mean, these guys are agreeing to watch other people’s kids for a whole night. They want to make sure they don’t get sued if anything happens.”

“I guess. I just want to go. It’s been too long since I went out like this.” Taylor smirked, as she looked back at Max and Victoria. “By the way, nice work showcasing that you haven’t been to a club in years.”

“Excuse me?” Max looked down at her outfit, which included a t-shirt, capris, and sandals. “What’s wrong with my outfit?”

“It’s not quite up to the level of cutting loose in Hawaii.” Taylor glanced at Victoria. “Neither of you are.”

Victoria crossed her arms over the sleeveless shirt and skirt she was wearing. “I think we both look fine.”

“I disagree. And I think Courtney will, too.”

“And I think you look like you’re trying too hard.”

Taylor looked over her outfit, which included a lacey crop top and slim-fitting pants. “Absolutely false,” she stated. “I look great. You two look like you’re not trying at all.”

“Because we’re not,” Max reminded her. “Neither of us are looking to impress anyone else, in case you forgot.”

“THAT is painfully obvious.”

The elevator beside them sounded a _ding_. The doors slowly slid open for Courtney, Kate, and Steph to walk out.

Courtney had clearly taken pains to dress both Steph and Kate in clubbing outfits. Steph was clad in flowing white pants and a red sleeveless shirt, which exposed a hint of her midriff. Her signature beanie still sat on her head as she mindlessly pulled at the lower edge of her shirt. Kate was wearing a black and white dress that came to just above her knee; she didn’t seem as uncomfortable as Steph, thought she did look distracted.

“Damn.” Victoria raised her eyebrows. “Look at you two, all done up.”

“Yea, yea.” Steph tugged at her shirt again. “This thing is too short.”

“It’s supposed to be. Stop pulling at it, you’ll fray the edge,” Courtney ordered. She was wearing her own dress, though it was shorter than Kate’s, the purple fabric stopping mid-thigh. “So, are we ready for this?”

“Yes.” Taylor’s answer was immediate. “Did you bring the stuff?”

“Yep. Here you go.”

Victoria frowned as Courtney passed something purple to Taylor. “What was that?”

“Well.” Courtney took a position in front of them, her arms behind her back. “It occurred to Taylor and I that we’re not going to have a chance to hang out casually again, before the wedding next week. Which means that tonight is really the only chance we’ll have to cut loose and unwind.”

“Okay…” Max frowned. “What does that mean?”

“That means tonight is your bachelorette party.” Taylor smiled connivingly. “And as tradition dictates, you are both required to wear these.”

With that, her and Courtney smoothly unrolled two lengths of purple ribbon. Before Max and Victoria could react, both sashes had been forced over their heads.

“Hey! What the f-” Victoria grabbed the purple material. “The hell is…”

Her voice trailed off as she read the flowing white script in front of it, proclaiming her as the Bride-To-Be.

“Oh, HELL no!” Victoria tried to yank it off, but found herself struggling against Taylor, who kept it forced around her shoulder. “I am NOT wearing this thing all night!”

“You have to!”

“No I fucking don’t!”

Max didn’t look thrilled at the prospect of wearing one either. Though her facial expression leaned more towards amusement than discontent, as she examined the sash closely. “… really, guys?”

“It’s tradition,” Courtney informed her. “You don’t have a choice.”

“You don’t think this is a little tacky?”

“Oh, no, it’s EXTREMELY tacky.” Courtney smiled widely. “Which just makes it even funnier.”

“Dammit- Taylor, let go of-” Victoria continued to struggle against her friend, as she tried to pull off the sash. “Grah! Cut it out!”

“Look! Look! Max is gonna wear it!” Taylor pointed at the brunette. “Are you going to let your fiancée do it all by herself? What kind of message does that send?”

Victoria glanced at Max. “… tell me that’s not true.”

Max shrugged, as she looked down at herself. “I don’t think it’s that bad,” she admitted. “And if it makes our friends happy, then whatever.”

“See?” Taylor raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you want to make your friends happy? Kate, wouldn’t you feel happy if Victoria wore her sash?”

“Mm?” Kate turned her attention to Victoria. “Um… sure?”

“There.” Taylor crossed her arms and grinned smugly. “Everyone thinks you should wear it. And Max is going to. You’re really gonna be the party pooper here?”

Victoria leveled an angry look at the other five girls, all of whom looked at her expectantly. “… fine,” she ground out, as she adjusted the sash around her shoulder. “Mark my words, there will be revenge for this humiliation.”

“Yea, yea.” Taylor nudged her towards the lobby exit. “Come on, we’ve got a ride to catch.”

* * *

Max couldn’t help but notice how Kate looked, as she got in the van behind her.

Victoria was in front, with Taylor and the others, still fending off jabs about her sash. Steph sat beside them, looking on in amusement. Kate, on the other hand, sat near the back of the small van and stared off into space, fidgeting with her nails.

As they pulled away from the curb, Max took a seat beside Kate. “Are you okay?”

“Hm?” Kate looked at her. “Oh. Yea, I’m good.”

“Are you sure?” Max looked at her worriedly. “You know Alice will be fine. I mean, the way she was talking, I think she was more excited for tonight then Taylor and Courtney were.”

“No, it’s not… okay, maybe a little,” Kate conceded. “I’m not a HUGE fan of leaving her with people I don’t know. Though they did seem like experienced professionals.”

“Then… what is it?”

Kate sighed, as she turned her gaze back forward. “… I haven’t gone out to a bar or club since I met Hector.”

“Oh.” Max bit her lip. “I, uh… I didn’t think about that, when they came up with the idea. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Just… feeling conflicted, is all.” Kate rubbed her palms together before glancing back at Max. “Do you think it’s dumb? That it’s been five years, and I still have trouble moving on?”

“What? No, of course not.” Max shook her head vehemently. “He was your fiancé, Kate. And Alice’s dad. You’re allowed to miss him for as long as you want.”

“… thanks.” Kate exhaled, rolling her shoulders back. “This is silly. I’m not trying to meet anyone tonight. I just want to have fun with you guys.”

Max smirked. “While getting drunk with Taylor and Courtney?”

“Maybe. Cutting loose has been pretty nice.” Kate smiled. “And I do have twelve hours where I don’t have to be a good example for my daughter.”

“Then you should make the most of them.”

* * *

Victoria had forgotten how loud clubs actually were.

Granted, it had been several years since she’d been inside one. Looking back, it had been a nightclub in Los Angeles, when she was still doing classes at UCLA. But she could’ve sworn it wasn’t as loud as the one they walked into, only a few blocks away from the hotel.

They could hear the music from the outside as they spoke to the host, getting their wristbands for the VIP booth they’d rented. It increased dramatically as soon as they walked through the door, the heavily-thumping techno music blasting through massive speakers near the stage.

“Holy crap!” Victoria yelled over the music. “That’s loud!”

“What?” Max yelled from right beside her.

“That’s loud!”

“What?” Max repeated. “I can’t hear you!”

“Hey!” Taylor appeared between them, an arm over each of their shoulders as she pushed them both towards the stage. “No talking! We dance now!”

Victoria glanced at Max, and the two of them shrugged as they let Taylor lead the six of them onto the dance floor.

She didn’t remember, later, how long they were out there. She could remember dancing with Max, the two of them pressed together as they tried (badly, she assumed) to move with the beat of the music. And she remembered grabbing glimpses of the others as they moved through the crowd. Steph and Kate seemed to loosen up quickly, as they tried to mimic Taylor’s moves. Courtney seemed to flow through the crowd like it was water, as she danced with a few different men.

After a while, Victoria felt her throat getting dry. And she could feel herself short of breath. A quick look at Max showed that her fiancée also looked beat, and she could see a few beads of sweat on her brow.

Victoria nudged her to get her attention, and tapped the yellow band on her wrist. Max nodded quickly, and the two of them forced their way through the crowd towards the staircase that lead to the VIP area. With a quick flash of the wrist bands to the security guard, they were waved up the stairs.

It was much quieter in the VIP area; while the music was still loud, it wasn’t so unbearable that they couldn’t talk to each other. Taylor, Steph, and Kate were already there. A pail full of ice and water bottles sat on the table between them. “Oh, thank God,” Victoria breathed as she grabbed one, twisting the cap off and guzzling it quickly.

Steph smirked as Max grabbed her own bottle, holding it to her forehead as she sat down beside them. “Man, you guys were out there for a while.”

“I know.” Max breathed a sigh of relief, as she moved the bottle to her neck. “I don’t think I’ve ever danced for that long.”

“You at least having fun?” Taylor inquired, as she sipped from what looked like another Daquiri.

Max smiled. “Oh, yea.”

“Good. Was Courtney still out there?”

“I’m pretty sure.” Victoria looked behind her as she sat down, towards the railing that overlooked the dance floor, though she couldn’t see anything. “She was dancing with a few people.”

“Go figure.” Taylor smirked as she reclined in her seat, slurping the last of her Daquiri before setting the empty glass down. “She lives for this scene, back in Oregon.”

A waiter appeared behind her, carrying a tray laden with drinks. He set a new Daquiri down in front of Taylor, as well as two shot glasses with amber liquor. “What’re those?” Max asked.

“Fireball.” Taylor smiled as she picked them both up, handing one to Kate. “Bottom’s up.”

“Wait, are you seriously about to do a shot?” Victoria asked incredulously.

Kate looked offended. “I’ve done them before!”

“You have?”

“Why would you think I haven’t?!”

Victoria hesitated. “… I don’t know.”

“Thank you.” Kate clinked her glass with Taylor’s before throwing her head back, downing the liquor all at once. She blinked as she lowered the shot glass. “… wow, that’s good.”

“It’s cinnamon whiskey.” Taylor grinned. “You like it?”

“Yea, actually.” Kate looked at her glass. “… I kind of want another one.”

Taylor raised her hand, getting the waiter’s attention, then held up the empty shot glass and flashed him two fingers. He nodded and went back to the bar. “So you really are getting drunk tonight,” Steph observed.

“No. I’m having fun.” Kate set the empty glass down. “If that involves getting a little tipsy, so be it.”

“That’s the spirit,” Taylor encouraged with a grin. “Boy, I can’t wait to see you after a few more drinks.”

Victoria shook her head, watching Max finally crack her water bottle and start drinking. “How’re you feeling?”

“Tired,” Max breathed. “But… not really. This is still fun, I just need a few minutes.”

“Yea. Me too.” Victoria took another drink from her bottle. “Although I wouldn’t mind something to eat. Pretty sure we just danced away all the calories we had for dinner.”

* * *

The night continued to pass in a similar fashion. Everyone seemed to rotate on and off of the dance floor at a similar rate, thought Max and Victoria always did it together. Whenever they went back to the table to rest, or munch on the finger food Taylor ordered, the others would rotate through as well.

Sometime around midnight, they wound up seperating as Max signaled that she was heading to the bathroom. Victoria decided to head back to the VIP area and rest, which was where she found Kate and Courtney.

“It’s called a Melon Ball,” Courtney was explaining to Kate as she sat back down. “They mix vodka, melon liquor, and pineapple juice.”

“Sounds good.” Kate was looking a little glassy-eyed, and her voice had a slight slur to it as she accepted the green shot from Courtney. “Ooh. Smells yummy, too.”

“Yep.” Courtney smiled. “Cheers.”

“Cheers!” Kate exclaimed as they toasted, then each swallowed the shot.

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “How many shots have you had, Kate?”

“Um…” Kate looked up as she set the glass down, her upper body wobbling as she braced herself with both hands. “… I dunno.”

“Oh. Cool.” Victoria shook her head. “Maybe she should drink some water, Court.”

“Come on, I’m not stupid.” Courtney nodded towards the bottle in front of them. “I made her drink some when we got back up here. Can’t have her pass out of dehydration on the dance floor, that’s just bad manners.”

Victoria snorted. “Fair enough. And it looked like you were having fun,” she added. “Who was that blonde guy you were dancing with?”

“The one with the abs you could see through his shirt?” Courtney smirked. “I don’t know. And I don’t care, either.”

“He was pretty,” Kate agreed dreamily. “Like… I dunno. But he was really pretty.”

Courtney and Victoria both snickered as their waiter brought another round of Daquiris to the table. “Oh, yes please,” Victoria agreed, as she accepted one. “I could definitely use some sugar right about now.”

“You do that.” Courtney stood back up, taking hers. She only had a sip before she put it back down. “I’m gonna go see if I can find tall, blonde and chiseled.”

Victoria chuckled as she took the straw in her one hand, putting it to her mouth and taking a long sip.

As soon as she took her second swallow, she knew something was wrong. The drink didn’t flow smoothly over her tongue. Instead, it had a familiar burn as she drank it; one that she hadn’t felt in over five years. She blinked in surprise as she jerked the straw out of her mouth.

_That’s not…_

She looked at the drink more closely. And finally noticed a distinct lack of the pineapple slice that came with the alcohol-free drinks.

_No._

_Oh, no._

_Nonononono…_

“Mm.” Kate sipped from her drink with her eyes closed. “Man, these are even better than the hotel makes them.”

Victoria ignored her as she set the glass down, her heart rate skyrocketing. She stood without a word and practically ran for the bathroom, pushing past anyone in her way.

As soon as she got there, she sprinted towards an empty stall, slamming the door behind her. She was already hyperventilating as she grabbed the wall, hanging on as her heart fell into her stomach.

_No, no, no…_

She gasped, her breath hitching as her eyes burned hot with tears.

_I can’t. Five years and one-hundred and eighty-eight days. I can’t lose it._

Victoria flipped up the toilet lid and dropped to her knees in front of it. Then she stiffened two fingers and jammed them down her throat as far as she could. She gagged, new tears springing to her eyes as she tried to make herself puke.

It wasn’t working.

_Shit, shit, sh-_

_MAX!!_

She hurriedly wiped her fingers on her skirt before yanking her phone from her pocket, navigating through the phone menu and calling Max. It rang several times before it clicked, Max’s voicemail answering. Victoria swore as she hung up, then started texting with trembling fingers.

 **Victoria:** Rewnd

 **Victoria:** Rewind NOW

 **Victoria:** Accdntly drank booze

 **Victoria:** fcking rewing PLEASE

 **Victoria:** REWIND

 _Please let this work._ Victoria let out a shaky breath as she dropped her face into her free hand, gasping with sobs.

_God, please don’t let me remember this._


	36. Seven-Oh-Three

Victoria continued to sob quietly in the stall for what felt like forever, but probably wasn’t more than a couple of minutes, as she waited for Max to text her back.

Or say something.

Or vanish. She tried to remember that she didn’t actually know how Max’s powers worked.

The bathroom door finally opened. “Victoria?”

She jerked her head up. “M-Max?” she croaked.

The handle of the stall rattled. She flipped the lock, letting Max slide in and close the door behind her.

Even in her state of mind, Victoria did a double take at her fiancée’s appearance. Max looked ragged and breathed heavily as she leaned against the wall. But she ignored it as she took a deep breath. “Max, you have to go back,” she begged in a high voice. “I- I accidentally drank Courtney or Taylor’s drink, and it had booze in it. Max, please, you have to-”

“I already tried.”

Victoria blinked. “Wh- what do you mean you already- oh, God, Max, your nose!”

Max weakly touched her upper lip, feeling the thin trail of blood that was leaking from her nostrils. Victoria grabbed the toilet paper beside her, wrapping up a sizable piece before breaking it off. She stood and pressed it to the bottom of Max’s nostril, as her fiancée leaned against the wall.

“I’m sorry,” Max muttered, as she took the toilet paper from Victoria. “I’m so sorry I can’t fix it.”

“But- I don’t-”

“I was looking for you on the dance floor,” Max mumbled quietly. “I didn’t hear your call. And I didn’t know you texted me until I checked my phone a few minutes later.” She let out a slow breath. “I… I tried to go back as far as I could, but… I kept winding up on the dance floor again. After you called me.”

“Oh…” Victoria’s breathing quickened again. “Oh God, oh God. Max, I can’t-”

“Hey, HEY.” Max grabbed Victoria’s arm. “Did you drink on purpose?”

“N- no.”

“Did you stop?”

Victoria nodded.

“Do you want to go back and finish it?”

She shook her head.

“It was an accident,” Max emphasized. “That’s it, Victoria. It was just an accident. You didn’t relapse, you made a mistake. You do not have to reset your clock.”

“But…” her voice trailed off. “I… are you… sure?”

Max nodded as she inhaled slowly, closing her eyes as she exhaled through her nose. “… ouch.”

“Are you okay?”

“My head hurts.” Max winced as she wiped her nose again with the toilet paper, folding it in half and pressing it back into her nostril. “I usually don’t push that hard, when I rewind. It feels like something popped.”

“Okay, sit.” Victoria pulled Max by her shoulder, getting her down onto the toilet seat. “Jesus, Max…”

The brunette shrugged, as she held her head with one hand and the toilet paper in the other. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I wish I could go back further, babe. But I can’t.”

Victoria licked her lips and swallowed. “… you’re sure? That I don’t have to start over?”

Max nodded, keeping her eyes closed. “It only resets if you relapse,” she reminded her. “You can send Charlie a text, if you want, or Steph. But you’re still five-and-a-half years sober.”

“… okay.” Victoria took a deep breath, exhaling as she tried to calm down. “I’m sorry. I, uh… I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Max opened her eyes. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it all better.”

“No. Hey.” Victoria reached out and took Max’s hand. “I don’t ever want you to hurt yourself for me, Max. Please swear that you won’t do it again.”

“You’re worth it.” Max smiled at her. “I make no promises.”

Victoria took another deep breath, letting out a long sigh as she wiped her eyes. “Can you stand?”

“Yea.”

“Come on, then.” She reached a hand out. “Let’s get cleaned up.”

Max nodded as she took the offered hand, letting herself get pulled upright. Victoria unlocked the stall door, leading the way towards the sink.

Her tears had definitely made for runny mascara. She shook her head as she grabbed a paper towel and ran water under a sink. “I look like hell.”

“You look beautiful.” Max lowered the paper from her nose, revealing the semi-dried blood under her nostril. “I’m the one who looks like hell.”

“Here.” Victoria gave Max the wet paper towel, grabbing a new one and wiping her eyes. “Does your head still hurt?”

“Not as bad as earlier. But yea.” Max wiped the blood from her nose, bracing herself against the sink with her other hand. “At least it’s-”

The bathroom door flew open beside Victoria. She almost missed Kate as she raced past her, the other blonde making a beeline for the now-open stall and slamming the door behind her. The sound of puking filled the bathroom after a couple of seconds.

Victoria winced. “Kate?” she called.

Kate retched again, and they heard a second stream of puke hit the toilet. “… Victoria?” she called weakly as it ended.

“Are you okay?”

“I think I-” Kate paused, then retched a third time.

Max put a hand to her mouth. “Gross.”

“Kate?” Victoria stepped over to the stall and knocked on the door. “You all right in there?”

“… I think I drank too much,” Kate groaned miserably. They heard her spit, followed by the toilet flushing. “Ugh.”

“You need any help?”

“I- oh!”

Victoria heard Kate yelp, followed by something bodily slamming against the stall. She pushed the door open to see Kate in a heap on the floor of the bathroom. One hand was grabbing at the wall above her, the other elbow bracing on the toilet seat.

“… ow,” she moaned.

Victoria couldn’t help but let a snicker escape her. “This might not be your proudest moment.”

Kate glanced up, her head bobbing as she tried to look straight. “No shit,” she slurred.

“Ooh, and we’re cursing. You’re definitely drunk.”

“Maybe a lil’ bit,” Kate agreed, wiping her mouth. “I don’t feel good.”

“Join the club.” Victoria glanced at Max, who managed an amused expression as she held a new paper towel below her nose. “I think it’s time to call it a night, ladies.”

* * *

To Kate’s credit, she made it through the cab ride without incident. It wasn’t until they got back to the front of the hotel that she got sick again.

Victoria rubbed Kate’s back as she threw up in the shrubs. “There you go,” she encouraged. “Better out than in, that’s what I used to say.”

Kate moaned as she wiped her mouth. “… this sucks,” she muttered.

“I know. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

Beside them, Max’s phone buzzed with an incoming text. “It’s Courtney,” she announced, as she read it. “She said to have a good night. And not to wait up.”

“Well, good for her.” Victoria smirked. “Sounds like she’s having fun. What about Steph and Taylor?”

“They might still be on the dance floor. I don’t think they’ve looked at the text yet.” Max shoved the phone back in her pocket. “You okay, Kate?”

“Not really.” Kate slowly stood up, still shakier than usual; Victoria grabbed her shoulder to keep from wobbling. “Woah.”

“Okay, let’s get you to your room,” Victoria stated. “You’ll feel better after some sleep. And maybe a few aspirin.”

“Yea, okay.”

Kate let them lead her through the lobby and to the elevator, heading towards her room on the fifth floor. “Did you at least have fun?” Max asked, as they rose through the building.

“Lots. Until everything came back up.” Kate looked at them. “… sorry I cut the bachelorette party short.”

“It’s really fine,” Victoria assured her. “Max and I weren’t feeling it for much longer anyway.”

“Is that true, or are you just trying to make me feel better?”

“I think we’re getting a little too old to go clubbing like that,” Max answered, as she rubbed her temple. “I was definitely ready to call it before you got to the bathroom.”

“… okay. I don’t feel as bad now.”

Victoria smirked as the elevator stopped, the doors opening. She gave Kate a shoulder to lean on as they made their way to her room, Max unlocking the door for them. They gently helped Kate sit down on the side of her bed before letting go.

“Here.” Max moved the trash can beside her nightstand. “Just in case.”

“And you’ll definitely want these.” Victoria opened the mini bar and retrieved a couple of small water bottles, placing them on the nightstand. “Make sure you keep drinking.”

“Put those back, Victoria,” Kate protested weakly. “They’re expensive.”

“Oh, yea, we took you guys on this trip because we’re so low on funds,” Victoria remarked dryly.

“… fine.” Kate slowly collapsed sideways, kicking her shoes off before tucking her feet up onto the bed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Victoria patted Kate’s shoulder. “Sleep tight.”

“You too.”

They quietly left, closing the door behind her. “What about you?” Max asked Victoria, as they headed back for the elevator. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yea.” Victoria sighed. “I… still want to talk to Steph, when I see her. Not that I don’t believe you, but hearing her tell me that I’m an idiot for panicking will make me feel better.”

Max nodded. “I get it. You want validation.”

“More or less. Does your head still hurt?”

“It’s not as bad.” Max shrugged. “I’ll pop an Excedrin when we get to our room.”

“Good.”

The elevator was gone what they go to the doors. “You okay to walk?” Max asked, as she nodded towards the stairs. “We’re only three flights up.”

“Sure.”

Victoria lead the way. As they turned the corner, they heard someone giggling about them in the stairs. Max frowned as they started climbing. “That’s… is that Taylor?”

“Is it?”

They both started listening more closely. “… not drink that much,” the finally made out, as they got to the sixth floor.

“Yea, that’s why your feet are all over the place,” they heard Steph remark dryly. “Come on, you’re in seven-oh-three, right?”

“Yep.”

“Guess we found them.” Victoria took a breath, to yell for Steph, but Max grabbed her arm.

“Don’t,” she shushed. “It’s after midnight. People are asleep.”

“Oh. Right.”

They heard Taylor laugh again, as they got closer to the seventh floor. “Man, did you see Kate doing all those shots? That girl was getting HAMMERED.”

“Well, good for her. This is you.”

“Mm. Thank you.”

“You need any more help?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Wh- hey!” Max and Victoria heard a heavy thump of someone hitting the wall. “What are you-”

“I think I need help finding my way to bed.” Taylor’s voice turned low and husky. “I think you need to come in with me.”

Victoria froze at the top of the stairs, shooting Max an astonished glance. Her fiancée’s eyes had gone wide at what they had just heard. After a few seconds, Victoria’s curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked around the corner.

Taylor had Steph pressed against the wall next to her door. Their faces were so close that their noses were touching, and their eyes were locked together as they both breathed heavily.

“Tay, no,” Steph protested quietly. “I told you that I didn’t want to do this while we were here.”

“That was before we left,” Taylor growled, her hand finding the back of Steph’s neck. “If I’d known I was gonna have to spend two days staring at you in that fucking bikini, I never would’ve agreed to it.”

“Hey, you were the one who picked it ou-”

Taylor silenced Steph by mashing their lips together. After a second, Steph’s eyes closed, her hands falling to Taylor’s waist as she started kissing back.

Victoria yanked herself back around the corner, out of sight. Max’s jaw was practically on the floor, and Victoria could only imagine that hers matched as they stared at each other, neither of them moving in shock as they listened to their two friends make out.

“Okay, Tay, wait,” Steph finally gasped. “I don’t want to… all of our friends are here-”

“No, they aren’t. We’re alone,” Taylor countered, and they heard a rustle of clothing. “Nobody’s here to watch me do this.”

“Tay, seriously, stooooo…” Steph’s voice trailed off, as her breathing hitched. “… f-fuck. No, Tay, don’t…. don’t do that out h-here.”

“It doesn’t feel like you don’t want me to do it.”

“Seriously, Tay,” Steph whined. “You gotta stop. Someone’s gonna s-see us,”

“Then I guess you’d better come in with me.”

“We shou-shouldn’t be… doing this.”

“Oh yes we should,” Taylor purred. “Come in with me, and I’ll let you go first.”

“Fuck… Tay…” Steph started struggling for breath. “Oh, God damn it, where’s your fucking room key?”

A beep sounded a few seconds later, as a door unlocked. The sound of Steph’s ragged breathing disappeared, the door slamming shut immediately after.

Shocked silence filled the air, as Victoria and Max stared at each other.

After several seconds, Max finally worked her jaw. “Oh. My. God,” she whispered. “Did they seriously just-”

“She’s an executive.”

Max blinked at Victoria’s statement. “Huh?”

“That’s what Steph said a few months ago, remember? About her girlfriend?” The pieces fell into place for Victoria, as a grin slowly spread across her face. “Taylor’s a fucking EXECUTIVE.”

“… oh my God.”

“Oh my FUCKING GOD, Max.”


	37. Hangover

**December 8 th, 2024**

“I cannot WAIT to see them.”

Max gave Victoria a sour look. “Leave it alone.”

“Oh, hell no.” Victoria smiled widely, as they rode the elevator down to the hotel’s continental breakfast. “I am SO looking forward to busting their balls.”

“Seriously, Victoria, leave it alone,” Max insisted. “There’s probably a reason they’re keeping it quiet. You’re not going to be funny, you’re just gonna be mean.”

“I disagree.” She paused. “They are awake, right?”

“Steph said she’d be right down. Courtney and Kate said they’d be there late; I think Kate’s still trying to sleep in.” Max checked the group text on her phone. “Taylor hasn’t answered.”

“Can’t imagine why.”

“Ok, for real, don’t say anything about it.” Max had a serious look on her face. “They clearly don’t want to tell anyone. Or talk about it. So mind your own business.”

Victoria took a slow breath. “I’ll try,” she allowed.

“You had better-”

“Hey, how about you focus on those chocolate chip waffles you’re about to have?”

Max paused. “… those are really good.”

“Attagirl.”

The elevator doors opened into the lobby, and they headed for the breakfast area. The deciding factor in them choosing the hotel was their breakfast layout, which still impressed Victoria after three days. It was an incredible spread of various cereals and fruit, eggs, meat, bagels… and, of course, made-to-order waffles. Max went straight for that line while Victoria made herself a plate of fruit, with a bagel and cream cheese.

She also went through the trouble of getting four cups of coffee for their table. She set the last one down as Steph appeared, walking away from the elevators. Dragging behind her was Taylor, wearing dark sunglasses.

“Look who I found,” Steph joked as she thumbed towards Taylor.

_What, next to you when you woke up?_ Victoria bit her tongue as she smirked at Taylor. “You look like hell, man.”

“Still good enough to kick your ass,” Taylor muttered. “Mama needs coffee and carbs.”

“I got you coffee.” Victoria nodded at the table. “You can get your own carbs.”

“You’re a princess among mortals.” Taylor collapsed into the chair, grabbing several sugar packets. “We don’t deserve you.”

“Debatable.” Steph smirked as she sat and took her own drink, adding cream before stirring. “Thank you, though.”

“No prob.” Victoria sipped from her mug. “Where did you guys go last night, by the way? We didn’t see you leave.”

“Mm.” Steph finished her own drink before answering. “Probably left just after you guys did. I was exhausted, and couldn’t find anyone.”

“Same.” Taylor yawned, finally pulling off her glasses as she ground a hand into her eye. “I cabbed back and fell into bed.”

_Yea, after sticking your tongue down Steph’s throat._ The will it took for Victoria to keep silent was incredible. She hid it by popping a piece of fruit into her mouth, chewing and swallowing. “Well, I’m glad everyone had fun,” she allowed. “Though Kate might’ve had a little too much."

“Oh, what happened to her?” Steph asked. “I don’t think I saw her for the last couple of hours.”

“She puked in the bathroom of the club.” Victoria smirked. “And in that big shrub right outside the lobby.”

“Ha.” Taylor snickered. “Well, who among us hasn’t inadvertently fertilized someone else’s landscaping?”

“Nobody now. Except maybe Max.”

Her fiancée returned on the tail end of her sentence, a plate of waffles in her hands. “… what are we talking about?” she asked, eyeing Victoria warily.

“Kate puking into the bushes.”

“Oh.” Max relaxed as she sat down. “Yea, that was unfortunate. Taylor, you and Courtney let her drink WAY too much booze.”

“Yea, I know.” Taylor shrugged. “In my defense, I didn’t know what Courtney was giving her.”

“Still.”

“Eh. She had fun, I know she did.”

“Did you guys?” Steph asked. “It was your bachelorette party.”

_Not as much fun as you._ Victoria smirked as she nodded. “It’s been a while since I went out like that. Though I remember being better at dancing. And I definitely wore out way faster than I did when I was younger.”

“Aw.” Taylor grinned. “Someone’s getting decrepit in her old age.”

_… you little bitch._

Steph snickered, as she took another sip of her coffee. “I know. Between that and corralling us everywhere, you guys are like the group moms.”

_Oh, it’s on._

“Man, I’m starving.” Taylor looked at the breakfast spread. “Let’s get food. I could kill some eggs right now.”

“Yea, that sounds good,” Steph agreed.

“Oh?” Victoria leaned forward, planting her elbows on the table. “Steph, you’re letting Taylor go first, right?”

Steph looked confused. “Excuse me?”

“No.” Max grabbed Victoria’s arm. “Seriously, don’t.”

“Taylor. You’re gonna let her go first?”

Taylor frowned. “Um… why?”

Max squeezed Victoria’s bicep. “Babe, leave it-”

“Because it’s her turn.” Victoria smiled smugly. “On account of you going first last night.”

Taylor flinched violently in her seat, as she blinked rapidly. Steph opened her mouth to say something, but stopped, slowly closing it. Victoria watched both of their faces flush at the same time as they stared at her silently.

Unease started to eat at her as both of her friends averted their gaze. _… crap._

After a moment, Steph spared an accusatory look at Taylor, one that brimmed with evident discontentment. Then she pushed away from the table and stood up. Taylor had a desperate look on her face as she called after her. “Steph, wait-”

“Not now.” The brunette walked away, back towards the lobby.

Taylor let a breath out her nose, shrinking into herself, before she spared a glance at Victoria. “… you’re an asshole,” she muttered as she stood as well, walking in another direction.

“Oh, guys, come on…”

Victoria’s statement seemed to fall on deaf ears as Taylor walked out of sight. After a few seconds, she looked at Max. Her fiancée sat with her eyes narrowed.

“… rewind?” Victoria asked hopefully.

“I already tried.” Max folded her arms. “Just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”

“But-”

“Oh, no.” Victoria wilted under Max’s glare. “I’m not done.”

* * *

She found Taylor at the hotel bar.

It was mostly empty, save for a couple of people working on laptops. Taylor was the only one sitting at the bar, nursing a Bloody Mary. She stared into the drink without any facial expression, occasionally lifting it to take a sip.

Victoria took a deep breath as she slowly approached. She watched Taylor’s eyes find her in the bar’s mirror, but she made no move to turn and look as she got closer, finally stopping behind the chair beside her.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly.

Taylor didn’t respond as she looked back at the glass in front of her.

“I wasn’t trying to embarrass you. Or upset Steph. I just wanted to be funny.” Victoria bit her lip. “I didn’t think about how you guys might feel. I’m really sorry about that.”

Her friend took another sip of her drink, still not showing any signs that she was listening.

“I’m also sorry that I turned back into the Victoria you said you didn’t want to be friends with. I don’t have any excuse for that. I wanted to bust your balls, not turn back into a shitty person.” She paused. “And… I don’t know if I sounded like I was making fun of you and Steph for being together, but I wasn’t. I’m happy for you guys, and I didn’t mean to sabotage what you two had by being an asshole.”

Taylor finally seemed to acknowledge that, as she turned her head slightly. Though she still stayed silent.

“I’ll, uh… I’ll leave you alone.” Victoria stepped back, turning to head for the elevators.

“I think I fucked up.”

Victoria paused, as she looked back at Taylor. “… huh?”

“Steph… didn’t want to tell anyone about us,” Taylor muttered. “She didn’t think we were ready to tell people yet. She wanted to be the one to tell everyone, when we decided that we were gonna be up-front with you all about it.” She glanced back at Victoria. “And I fucked it up by being a drunk and horny moron.”

“No. It’s my fault.”

“You weren’t the one who started feeling her up in a hotel hallway.” Taylor looked back at her drink, heaving a sigh. “You gonna sit down, or what?”

Victoria took the seat beside her, and the bartender made his way over. “What can I get you?”

“Diet Coke.” Victoria thumbed at Taylor. “And whatever else she wants.”

Taylor finished her drink. “Another one, please.”

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks.” Taylor glanced sideways at Victoria, as the bartender left. “… you’re still an asshole.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Victoria dropped her gaze. “Trust me, Max made that abundantly clear after you guys left.”

“Guess I’m not the only one in trouble, then.” Taylor ran her hand down her face. “I have no idea what to do to fix this. Fuck, I’m a shitty girlfriend.”

“Don’t say that. I’m sure you’re not.”

“I outed us to people she was very clear that she did not want to be outed to yet,” she muttered. “After getting shit-faced at a club, and basically forcing myself on my almost-nine-years-sober girlfriend.”

The bartender returned, dropping off Victoria’s soda and a new Bloody Mary for Taylor. She stared at it as he left. “Fucking hell, I probably shouldn’t even be drinking this. I should be staying sober to support her, like Max does for you.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Has she ever told you that your drinking bothered her?”

“No.”

“If it did, she would’ve.” She paused. “Though maybe not. She does really like you.”

Taylor glanced at her. “… she does?”

“Of course she does.” Victoria scoffed. “After one date, she started making an effort to slow down her eating because of you.”

“I… didn’t even notice.” Taylor turned back, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Christ, I’m so fucking stupid.”

Victoria bit her lip. “… can I ask you something?”

“I guess.”

“How did you two even hook up?”

* * *

“We matched on Girl Time.”

Max tilted her head, as she sat on the lounge chair beside Steph. They were next to the pool, where they’d gone to get some fresh air. “I didn’t know you were still using that app.”

“I went back to it. Got bored with the others, figured I’d give it another shot.” Steph sighed, as she stared at her feet. “We popped up as each other’s weekly super-match. Talk about the mother of all coincidences.”

“I’ll say.”

“Yea. We thought it was funny as hell.” She shrugged. “Then… we started talking. Trying to figure out how it matched us. Turns out we answered a lot of those stupid profile questions the same way. Before we knew it, we were texting all the time about dumb shit we had in common.”

Max frowned. “I never realized you guys had a lot in common.”

“Well, we both like anime. That was no surprise.” Steph smirked, though she kept her gaze on the ground. “And a lot of the same movies and TV shows. Also, turns out she likes sports too. Amazon owns one of the Skyboxes at the Mariners stadium, so she offered to take me with her for their next game.”

“Hell of a first date,” Max observed.

“Dude, I don’t even think we realized it was a date until we were halfway through dinner afterwards.” Steph finally spared a quick glance at Max. “But… it was a lot of fun. So we agreed that we should do it again.”

“Mm.” Max nodded. “And now here you are, six months later.”

“… God, it really has been six months.” Steph pursed her lips. “Actually closer to seven.”

Max leaned forward, balancing her elbows on her knees. “Why haven’t you told anyone?” she asked curiously. “Did you think we wouldn’t support you, or…”

“No, it wasn’t that.” Steph squirmed. “I mean, at first it was because I wasn’t sure if it would work out. We are a pretty tight-knit group, and I didn’t want it to become a Ross and Rachel debacle if it ended badly.”

“But you do like her,” Max stated. “I mean, you must if it’s been six or seven months.”

“… yea. I do.”

“So, then…”

Steph sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “I guess I’ve been worried about how everyone would react,” she admitted. “I mean, when you and Victoria finally made out in front of everyone, it took weeks for it to become normal.”

“It did?”

“Maybe you two didn’t notice, but the four of us didn’t stop talking and texting about it. Finding out two of the people in your group of friends are sleeping together is a little weird, no matter the circumstances.”

“… if you say so.” Max shook her head. “Well, I already about dumped a bucket of paint over Victoria’s head. I know she feels pretty bad. She went to go find Taylor and apologize to her, but I’m sure she’ll want to see you next.”

Steph hummed absently. “I guess I need to talk to Taylor too,” she admitted quietly. “I probably shouldn’t have just walked off.”

“You were upset, Steph.”

“I’m not upset.” Her face started turning pink, as she kept her eyes on the ground. “I just found out that two of my best friends overheard my girlfriend fondling me in public. I’m fucking humiliated.”

Max tilted her head. “Are you mad at Taylor?”

“… maybe a little,” Steph muttered. “But she was drunk. Her inhibitions were shot. That isn’t much of an excuse, but… I mean, I could’ve stopped it, too, before it went that far.”

“Then it sounds like you need to talk to her about how you feel,” Max agreed. “About what she did, and her getting that drunk.”

“I…” Steph rubbed her hands together. “I don’t know if I can. I mean, as big of a fuckup as I am, I have no leg to stand on to lecture her about drinking.”

“Steph-”

“You’re not a fuckup.”

They both turned to see that Taylor and Victoria had come up behind them. Taylor looked extremely contrite, while Victoria stood behind her. “I’m the only fuckup here,” Taylor added quietly.

“Okay.” Max stood. “Come on, Victoria, let’s go be someplace else.”

Steph ignored them as they walked away, keeping her eyes on Taylor. The blonde nervously approached, standing beside the chair. “… can I sit?”

“Yea.”

Taylor took Max’s seat, biting her lip. “I’m sorry for how I acted last night. And that those two overheard us. I should’ve listened to you. And I shouldn’t have gotten so drunk that I ignored how you felt.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Steph sighed. “There were two of us there, and… I guess I could’ve stopped it too.”

Taylor glanced at her. “Does it bother you, that I drink?”

“No.” Steph shook her head. “I’m the one with a history of substance abuse. I’m not gonna force my sobriety on anyone.” She met Taylor’s gaze. “It only bothers me that you got so drunk you didn’t care about what we agreed on.”

“… I’m sorry,” Taylor muttered.

“I have to work with Max. Every day.” Steph scratched at her arm. “And now I can barely look her in the eye because of what she overheard us doing. I don’t think I’ve ever been so embarrassed in my life, and I have literally dug through a dumpster for food.”

Taylor wiped at her eyes, quickly sniffling. “Then I’ll, uh… okay. I’ll stop drinking.”

“No, Tay, that isn’t what I want.”

“… what DO you want?” Taylor asked quietly. “Please tell me.”

Steph reached out, taking Taylor’s hand. “I don’t have a problem with you drinking,” she said clearly. “I don’t care. But I’m not a fan of you drinking so much, and getting so drunk, that you ignore where we are and throw away all your impulse control. So… can you please not do that anymore?”

Taylor nodded vigorously. “I promise, Steph, I’ll never do anything like that again.”

“Thank you.”

The blonde leaned her head onto Steph’s shoulder. “… are you still mad at me?”

“Maybe a little.” Steph sighed. “Mostly because Max and Victoria are going to badger us with questions.”

“Oh. Fuck.” Taylor winced. “I just realized something. They’ll probably want to do double-dates now.”

“… shit.”

* * *

Max and Victoria were sitting on one of the couches in the lobby when Steph and Taylor came back inside. They both stood as they approached.

“I’m sorry, Steph,” Victoria said sincerely. “That I embarrassed you. And made fun of you.”

“Thank you.” Steph paused. “Though we’re still in agreement that you’re an asshole.”

Victoria glanced at Max. “That seems to be the widely-held opinion, at the moment.”

They re-took their seats, Steph and Taylor sitting across from them. “So… now what?” Max asked. “Are you guys gonna tell Kate and Courtney?”

“… I don’t know,” Steph admitted, glancing at Taylor. “What do you think?”

Taylor bit her lip. “I think I’m not really allowed to have an opinion, after last night."

“Come on, seriously.”

She sighed. “It… does feel like keeping this a secret is a moot point,” she admitted. “Now that two-thirds of us know, anyway. Though I’m sure Courtney will bust our balls when we tell her.”

“Kate won’t,” Victoria offered. “You guys know that.”

“Oh, no. Of course not.” Steph smirked. “We can always count on her to be the best person in the group.”

Max frowned. “What about me?”

“Don’t get me wrong, Max, you’re solidly in second place. But it’s not a fair competition.”

She sighed. “I guess if I have to lose to someone…”

“Hey.” Taylor nodded behind them, towards the elevators. “Speak of the devil.”

They all turned as Kate and Alice left the elevator, Alice making a beeline towards the four of them. “Hey, kiddo!” Victoria greeted.

“Hi, Aunt Victoria!” Alice stage-whispered.

“How was your sleepover?”

“It was fun!” Alice was smiling widely, as she continued to whisper loudly. “We ate pizza, and watched Frozen, and played on the swing set!”

Max cocked her head. “Why are you talking like that?”

“Mommy said that if I whispered all morning, she’d give me five dollars.”

The four of them immediately snorted in amusement, still holding back giggles as Kate walked up and dropped into the couch beside Max. The other blonde looked like she needed Taylor’s sunglasses, to hide the bags under her eyes and her tired expression. “And how was your night?” Steph asked sweetly.

“The first half was fun,” Kate allowed, as she rubbed her eyes. “The second, not so much.”

“We heard that you helped fertilize the bushes in front of the hotel.”

Kate pointed at her. “Any talk of this in front of my daughter, and the next unflattering character I need for a book is going to look like you.”

“Mom, I’m hungry,” Alice complained. “Can we get breakfast now?”

“… uf.” Kate put a fist to her mouth. “Maybe.”

“You need eggs,” Taylor told her. “And toast with jelly. And all the fruit as you can eat.”

“I do?”

“Trust me on this one.”

“Okay.” She took a slow breath. “Have you guys eaten yet?”

“We were working on it. Got distracted.” Taylor stood back up, the others following. “Come on. Let’s get food.”

Victoria reached out and grabbed Steph’s arm, as the others walked away. “… what?” Steph asked, a confused look on her face. “You already said sorry.”

“And I am. It’s not that.” Victoria hesitated. “… I accidentally drank booze last night, at the club.”

Steph raised her eyebrows. “How?”

“I wasn’t paying attention when I grabbed a Daquiri. I didn’t realize it had rum in it.”

“Oh.” Steph pursed her lips. “… you shouldn’t do that anymore.”

“I know.” Victoria scratched at her arm. “I just really, really need you to tell me that Max was right. And that I don’t have to reset my sobriety clock.”

“What? No, of course not.” Steph shook her head. “It only ends when you do it on purpose. You’re a sponsor now, you should know that.”

“I do. And Max told me.” Victoria sighed. “I just really needed to hear it from you.”

“Ah.” Steph smirked. “Feel better now?”

“Much.” Victoria hesitated. “I really am sorry, by the way. I was just trying to make fun of you guys, not mess with your relationship.”

“Yea, I know.” Steph took a slow breath. “Let’s just get some food. I’m starving.”

* * *

**December 9 th, 2024**

“And thus ends the most badass wedding party gift of all time.”

Victoria smirked as she watched the steward close the door to the plane, before turning back to Courtney. “I take it we did good?”

“You guys did GREAT,” she emphasized. “I only regret that it ended so soon.”

“Why?” Taylor asked smugly. “You gonna miss blondie?”

“Pfft. No.” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, he was hot as hell and a nine out of ten in the sack, but he was a little lacking in the brains department.”

“Uh, excuse me.” Kate raised an eyebrow before nodding at Alice, who was listening to the conversation as she bucked her seat belt. “Maybe we could talk about something more appropriate?”

“Sure. How’s your head?”

Kate’s eyes narrowed. “… just fine, thank you.”

“You want another mimosa?”

“No.”

Everyone chuckled at that. “Are you going back to Oregon after we land?” Max asked.

“I have to. The dresses and coats are still in my office.” She shrugged. “You said we have rooms at the estate for the day before, right?”

“We do.”

“Then I’ll be there early on the thirteenth.” She looked around. “Everyone will have to try their dresses on the night before, in case I need to make any minor adjustments.”

“Oh, man, you two are getting married in less than a week!” Kate bubbled. “Are you guys excited or what?”

Max and Victoria exchanged smirks. “Very,” Max granted. “I know most people are engaged for over a year, but even eleven months seems like too long.”

“Yea, it’s time to get this show on the road,” Victoria agreed. “I want to see the end result of all these decisions we had to make.”

“What are you guys gonna do for this last week?”

They both shrugged. “I have a few appointments at my studio,” Victoria mentioned. “Other than that, not much.”

“I’m not doing anything,” Max stated. “Not even going to the rehab center.”

“Oh, right.” Steph smirked. “I have to pick up all of your slack.”

“We hired a temp, Steph.”

“Who we’ll have to hand-hold until you get back.”

“You’ll live.” Max looked around. “What about the rest of you guys?”

“I’ve got two illustrations to finish for my publisher,” Kate answered. “I’m gonna try to get them both done by Friday.”

Taylor shrugged. “I’m with you, on not going back to work. It was easier to take one long vacation instead of two short ones, so I’m just gonna hang around my apartment and chill out.”

“I need to finalize a couple of designs, but… that’s really it,” Courtney lamented, before looking back at Taylor. “Is it cool if I come up a couple of days early?”

“I… guess so.”

“You guess so?” Courtney raised an eyebrow. “What, is someone else gonna be using your guest room?”

Taylor squirmed uncomfortably. Max and Victoria caught the smallest glance pass between her and Steph, something they were pretty sure nobody else noticed.

After a few seconds, Steph took a deep breath. “… fuck it,” she sighed. “Taylor and I have been seeing each other for the last six months.”

Kate blinked, clearly taken aback as a shocked look came over her face. “… wait, what?”

Taylor glanced at Steph. “Fuck it, huh?”

“Yea. Fuck it.”

“Bad word,” Alice said lazily as she looked out the window.

“I know. Sorry, kid.” Taylor rolled her shoulders back. “… Steph and I started dating back in May,” she admitted. “We, uh… didn’t want to tell anyone because we didn’t want to make it weird.”

“But it’s been six months,” Steph added. “And… Max and Victoria already figured it out, so… yea.”

Kate looked at Max. “You did?”

“By accident,” Max said quickly. “And just recently.”

“Oh. Wow.” Kate blinked several times. “Um… okay. Congratulations, I… guess?”

Victoria smirked. “Congrats? Really?”

“I’m not really sure what else to say, honestly.” Kate shrugged. “I’m happy for you both, I suppose.”

“Thanks.” Taylor looked back at Courtney, who had an expressionless face as she tilted her head. “… you don’t have anything?”

“Oh, I’m just waiting for you to tell me something I didn’t already know.”

It was Steph and Taylor’s turn to be taken aback. “You didn’t- wait, what? The hell do you mean, you already knew?”

“Dude, I figured it out months ago.” Courtney rolled her eyes. “I’ve been wondering when you were going to say something.”

Taylor looked at her incredulously. “How?!”

“You’re not exactly slick, dumbass.” Courtney smirked. “You asked my opinion on a necklace you wanted to buy someone, and then I saw a picture on Facebook of Steph wearing it a week later. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots.”

Max and Victoria immediately snorted in amusement as Taylor and Steph both looked at the brunette’s neck. And the gold necklace that hung from it, a thin chain that connected to both ends of a small bar. “You got Courtney’s help?” Steph asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She’s a fashion expert,” Taylor said defensively. “I wanted to make sure I got you something that didn’t look stupid.”

“And it doesn’t. She looks good with it.” Courtney leaned back in her seat. “Also, according to Facebook, you guys were at the same Mariners game four different times. Like I said, you weren’t exactly slick.”

Taylor and Steph exchanged looks. “… well, hell,” Steph remarked. “I guess we weren’t.”

“Exactly.” Courtney nodded. “So you guys can finally stop with the Chandler and Monica routine.”

“Oh, does this mean you guys can share a room at the estate?” Max asked. “Because Warren and Brooke confirmed that they were coming last week, and I think they’d appreciate not having to pay for a hotel.”

Taylor frowned. “Wait, aren’t they both doctors?”

“Yea. So?”

“How can they not afford a hotel room?”

“I’m sure they could. I still want to be nice for our friends.” Max tilted her head. “Well?”

Steph and Taylor traded looks again. “… we’re gonna look really stupid if we say no,” Steph observed.

“True.” Taylor sighed. “Yea. Sure.”

“Thanks.” Max turned a conniving smirk to Steph. “And I’ll be sure to mark you down with a plus-one.”

“Oh, blow me.”

* * *

**Fiona:** The rooms are reserved. The estate is officially full-up.

**Victoria:** I thought they were before?

**Fiona:** Well, we had the option of putting bridesmaids together before. But now we can’t. The estate won’t allow more than two to a room.

**Fiona:** We’ve got Kate and her daughter, Steph and Taylor, Max’s parents, your parents, the Madsens, and now Warren & Brooke. You and Max will have the bridal suite, and Courtney has her own room.

**Victoria:** She’s gonna need it. I guess she’s bringing some stuff with her, for last-minute dress alterations.

**Fiona:** Well, there isn’t much left to sort out. Your last big concern is getting to the estate on Friday.

**Victoria:** What about the other thing I asked about?

**Fiona:** Oh, I thought I told you. It’s good to go.

**Victoria:** Sweet!


	38. Ceremony

**December 13 th, 2024**

“Oh my GOD, this is so fucking soft.”

Victoria smirked as Taylor burrowed herself into the jacket Courtney had handed her. “It looks pretty damn nice,” she agreed. “I think I might need one for myself.”

“Yea, these were a great choice.” Courtney straightened hers, buttoning it over the front of her dress. “Steph did good.”

The three of them were in a room just inside the estate, with a large window overlooking the courtyard; Max was in a matching room on the other side, with Steph and Kate. They could all look out and see their wedding guests mingling among the chairs, chatting with each other and huddling against the chill. There was just over an inch of snow on the ground, and the sky was grey with incoming weather. But the air was still clear enough to see Mount Rainier in the background, directly behind the officiant stand.

“What’s the temperature right now?” Victoria asked curiously.

Taylor checked her phone. “Twenty-eight degrees.”

“Oof.” Victoria winced. “Though nobody seems uncomfortable.”

“Well, they did get plenty of notice to dress warm. Plus there’s about thirty kerosene heaters out there.”

“True. How much longer?”

Taylor looked at her phone again. “Nine minutes.”

“Ugh.” Victoria started pacing. “This sucks.”

“Excuse me?” Courtney looked at her incredulously. “You’re getting married in less than fifteen minutes, at what’s probably the nicest venue within a thousand miles. What the hell are could you POSSIBLY be upset about?”

“Because it’s taking too long. I want to get married NOW.”

Taylor snorted. “Fuck having a measure of patience, huh?”

“Exactly.”

“Here.” Courtney turned and plucked a white coat from the nearby hanger, one made of white suede with cream-colored fur at the cuffs. “Put this on. It’ll take a few minutes to get your outfit situated anyway.”

“… fine.” Victoria accepted the jacket with a sigh. “How much longer now?”

* * *

“Five minutes.”

Max let out a slow breath. “… time needs to move faster.”

Steph smirked as she put her phone away. It was only the second time Max had seen her without the signature beanie, with her hair having been done professionally. “Someone’s eager to run down the aisle.”

“Yea, well, if you’d spent a year waiting for something like this, you’d want to get a move on, too.” Max idly brushed at her cloak, the stark white matching perfectly with her dress. A silver chain clasped both sides together at her chest, keeping it snugly around her shoulders. “Besides, it’s a little warm in here.”

“You were the one who wanted a fur cloak.”

“It’s less that, and more of the thermal leggings I’ve got on under this dress.”

“Really?” Kate frowned. “I’m wearing some too. I don’t feel warm.”

Max gestured at her cloak. “You’re not wearing fur on top of everything else.”

“Fair enough.” Kate looked Max up and down. “God, that really does look amazing, though.”

“Dude, we ALL look good.” Steph glanced among the three of them. “Like, I’m not on Instagram, but I kind of want to make an account so I can show the world how fuckin’ amazing we all look.”

“Bad word!” Alice piped up, sticking her head out from behind Kate.

“Oh, right.” Steph sighed. “Four bridesmaids, two brides, and one little narc.”

“What’s a narc?”

“Nothing, sweetie.” Kate shot a glare at Steph. “Don’t call her that.”

The door opened beside them, Ryan stepping through as he straightened his own tuxedo. He stopped when Max turned to him, a smile breaking out as he saw her in the dress and cloak. “Wow,” he breathed. “God, sweetie, you look incredible.”

Max blushed. “Thanks, Dad.”

“I love that cloak on you,” he added. “Though it looks like it gives you proficiency in your Arcana skill.”

“Really?” Steph tilted her head. “I was thinking Nature, or Survival. It kind of makes her look like a Druid princess.”

“Either way, it DEFINITELY needs to add to her Constitution,” Ryan lamented.

“Well, yea. It’s not gonna do anything for her armor class.”

“Oh my GOD, you guys are such nerds.” Max rolled her eyes. “If you’re here, does that mean it’s time to go?”

“Yea, but only to the entryway.” Ryan checked his watch. “And not for a couple of minutes. Derek’s walking Victoria out first, remember?”

“Right.” Max played with the edge of her cloak nervously. “I don’t look silly, right? Nobody’s gonna look at me and think this thing is immature?”

“No.” The one-word answer was said in unison by Ryan, Steph, and Kate.

“You’re sure?”

“Max, that is seriously an elegant look,” Kate assured her. “I don’t know if a lot of people could pull that off. But you really do make it work.”

Steph smirked. “Besides, even if it didn’t, I’m pretty sure Victoria’s dad will lay out anyone who starts talking sh-” she paused, glancing at Alice. “Trash. Anyone who starts talking trash.”

“Nice save.”

A knock sounded at the door. Everyone looked as it cracked open, and Fiona stuck her head through. “Steph, Kate, Alice, you’re all up,” she informed them. “Victoria and the others are heading out right now. Max, I’ll come get you in a couple of minutes.”

Max inhaled slowly through her nose, as the others followed Fiona out the door. “Finally.”

* * *

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy in my life.”

Victoria smirked, as she glanced sideways. “Never?”

“Nope.” Derek clutched her arm tightly, as they stood behind Alice. The little flower girl shuffled from foot to foot, as she clutched a bouquet of white roses in both hands. In front of her, Kate whispered words of encouragement to her daughter while Steph, Taylor, and Courtney made last-minute adjustments to their outfits. “Or not for a long time, at least.”

“When you got married to Mom?”

“More like when you were born.” Derek paused. “I really hoped that you were a girl, you know, when your mother told me that she was pregnant. I don’t think I’ve ever told you that.”

“Really?” Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Why not a boy? Carry on the family name and all?”

“Partially another minor act of rebellion against your grandfather.” Derek smirked. “Partially because I really wanted to walk a child down the aisle. I’d seen enough people do it with their kids that I knew I wanted to do it, too.”

“Ah.” Victoria looked forward again. “… sorry I wasn’t a perfect kid.”

“I don’t care that you weren’t perfect.” Derek shrugged. “You became a good one. And you picked an amazing fiancée, if nothing else.”

Victoria snorted. “If Max and I ever split up, you’d pick me over her, right?”

“Let’s hope we never have to find out, sweetie.”

The music started before Victoria could prepare a retort. She immediately straightened up. Fiona, standing by the door, took a quick peek outside before she started waving her arm silently. One at a time, the bridesmaids started filtering out; Courtney, followed by Steph, then Taylor, then Kate.

Alice paused nervously by the door, before glancing back at Victoria. She smiled and flashed the child a thumbs up. Alice smiled and returned the gesture, before clasping the flowers in both hands and walking outside.

“Just a minute,” Fiona said as Victoria and Derek got to the door. “We’re gonna give them a couple of seconds to take their-”

A tittering of laughter floated through the open door. “What’s that?” Derek asked.

Fiona took a peek and smirked. “Your flower girl tripped.”

Victoria snorted in amusement. “The videographer got it on film, right?”

“He better have. I’m sure it’ll make the cut.” Fiona watched for a few more seconds, then nodded as the tempo of the music changed. “Okay. Time to go.”

Derek straightened up as he led the way out the door. As soon as the rest of the guests saw her, they all stood to face her with smiles.

She found it mildly disconcerting. Though she tried not to let it show as she smiled back. Walking past dozens of people she’d never seen before, though a few of them did stand out. Brooke and Warren were standing near the aisle, about halfway down, and just past them was Kate’s sister, Lynn. On the other side, all of Max’s coworkers clustered together; Jerry and his wife, Tina and her husband, and Maya standing beside an equally-buff man Victoria guessed was her significant other.

And near the end of the aisle were the couple she’d met the day prior; Joyce and David Madsen. She’d been a little stand-offish of the man, since Max had told her what had happened with him and Chloe, but he’d seemed genuinely nice during their introduction.

Two empty seats were at the very front of the aisle; one beside Mary, and the other next to Vanessa. “Thanks, Dad,” Victoria whispered as they stopped, kissing his cheek.

“Thank you, sweetie.” Derek squeezed her hand. “Go on, then. Let’s get you hitched.”

She smirked as he sat down, and she took her position next to Taylor and Courtney. Across from her, Steph and Kate waited beside Alice, who still had snow all over the knees of her dress. The girl still looked charming, though, as she stood patiently while clutching the flowers in both hands.

After a couple of seconds, the music petered out and changed again. To a slightly more-upbeat, though still harmonious melody. Everyone’s attention turned back to the doors of the estate as they opened again.

Victoria didn’t really expect to be surprised at Max’s outfit; she’d figured that the dress was white and knew that her fiancée was going to be wearing the cloak on top of it. So she had a picture in her mind of what Max was going to look like, and her fiancée’s appearance didn’t stray far from her expectations.

It didn’t change how she reacted when Ryan finally escorted Max out the door. Finally seeing the brunette in her wedding attire made her heart skip a beat. From the done-up hair, to the long white gloves under the cloak, to the emerald-and-diamond necklace glinting from her neck, she looked absolutely stunning.

_Holy shit, she looks like royalty._

It must have shown, because Max adopted an amused expression as she got closer. It wasn’t until Ryan kissed her check and she stepped up beside Victoria that she was able to shake her head and think clearly. “You look amazing,” she whispered quietly.

Max blushed, though she couldn’t keep a smile from her face. “You look pretty good yourself.”

“Not like you.” Victoria smirked. “We should’ve gotten you a tiara.”

The bridesmaids all chuckled as their officiant cleared his throat, giving the microphone on his lapel a slight adjustment as he opened his book. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…”

* * *

“I agree. You should totally be wearing a tiara.”

Max glanced to her right. “Really?”

“Eyes forward!” their photographer called. Max obeyed, smiling as he took more photos. The ceremony had been brief, as promised, and almost everyone else had gone back inside to avoid the cold. Except for the wedding party, who was still taking photos.

“Oh, yea.” Steph plastered a smile on her face as she talked out a corner of her mouth. “You already look like a princess. Might as well round out the costume.”

Victoria snorted from her position, one hand around Max’s waist and the other helping clasp the bundle of flowers. “I was thinking that you looked like royalty, when you were coming down the aisle,” she admitted.

Max arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Yep.” Victoria paused. “You know, if we’d told everyone I was marrying a princess, a lot more people would’ve shown up.”

“Ooh, you should’ve,” Taylor piped up from beside Victoria. “Princess Maxine Caulfield, the Lady of Kenmore. Has a nice ring to it.”

Max looked at her incredulously. “The Lady of Kenmore? Is that the best you could come up with?”

“Sorry. Too cold to do better.”

“Okay.” The photographer lowered his camera. “I think we’re done with the group photos. Let’s get a few more of the happy couple and call it a night.”

“Oh, thank God,” Courtney exhaled, as she immediately started rubbing her arms. “I’m freezing my ass off.”

“Bad word,” Alice piped up numbly from her position beside Kate. “Mom, can we go inside now?”

“Yes we can,” Kate assured her. “Come on, sweetie, let’s get warmed up.”

Max sighed as the others went inside. “Well, I suppose even the jackets have their limits.”

“Not just theirs.” Victoria shivered, looking at Max. “Are you not cold?”

“Not really.” Max pulled at her cloak. “This thing is a lot warmer than I thought it’d be.”

“Then share the wealth.” Victoria squeezed Max as tightly as she could. “Jesus, I’m with Courtney. It’s way too cold out here.”

“Just a few more pictures,” the photographer assured them. “Then we can go inside. Can you let go of Max, please?”

“… fine.” Victoria released the brunette. “Make them fast ones.”

He obeyed, and they didn’t spend more than five more minutes outside before he let them go. Victoria practically raced for the estate’s entrance, ducking inside and hugging herself in the warmth.

Taylor watched, amused, as she continued changing out of her boots and into heels. “This whole endeavor was YOUR idea, you know.”

“Yea, yea. Shut up.” Victoria got as far away from the door as she could, sitting on one of the bench seats. “I can’t feel my face.”

Max walked inside, closing the door behind her. She immediately un-clasped the cloak and laid it over Victoria. “There you go,” she said encouragingly. “Can’t have you freezing before the first dance, or your father will never hear the end of it.”

“No kidding.” Victoria clutched the cloak as tightly as she could. “Man, this thing really is warm.”

“I know.” Max glanced at Courtney, who was sitting beside Taylor and working a pair of thermal leggings out from under her dress. “Any chance you can turn the cloak into a blanket?”

“Sure.” Courtney shrugged as she finally got the leggings off, sticking them in a bag by her feet. “Oh, that would actually be a pretty cool memento. I can have one of the apprentice designers embroider it with your names and the date.”

“Sold.”

“Now what?” Kate piped up, as she helped Alice out of her jacket. “Are we going straight to the reception?”

“Once we finish changing, yea.” Max began pulling off her gloves. “Sorry we made you guys freeze.”

“It’s whatever.” Steph shrugged as she finished doing the clasps on her own set of heels, finally standing upright. “It wasn’t THAT cold. You guys are all a bunch of crybabies.”

Taylor narrowed her eyes. “Don’t even start. I WATCHED you pack all of those hand-warmers in your coat.”

“And as a result, I was nice and toasty.” Steph smiled widely as she started pulling white pouches from the jacket. “Work smarter, not harder.”

“… shit,” Victoria muttered. “We all should’ve done that.”

“Bad word,” Alice mentioned as she kicked off her boots.

“Sorry, kiddo."


	39. Reception

“How many billions of dollars do you think are sitting out there?”

Victoria smirked, as she took a peek through the curtains separating her and Max from the reception area. “A couple dozen, at least. My parents being responsible for a few of them.”

Max frowned. “Is nobody, like… I don’t know, concerned that so much wealth is in one place?”

“Not really.” Victoria pulled back. “Fiona said that security arrangements were part of the planning.”

“… there’s security here?”

“Did you not notice the really buff guys in tuxedos? The ones that are all over the place?”

“I thought they were guests.”

“Nope.” Victoria took Max’s hand, squeezing gently. “You about ready for this?”

“To dance in front of two hundred people, most of whom we barely know, without making a fool of myself?” Max scoffed. “Sure thing.”

“Oh, we’ll be fine,” Victoria assured her. “One hand in mine, one on my waist, and then we high-school-prom it.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Neither of us went to prom.”

“Yea, but you’re familiar with the concept, right?”

Fiona poked her head through the curtain, interrupting whatever Max had in response. “They’re about to announce you two,” she mentioned. “You guys ready?”

Max took a deep breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” she answered.

“Okay. It’ll just be a second.”

Victoria stood up straight as Fiona ducked out, Max taking her place beside her. “Just remember,” Victoria said quietly. “If you trip, there’s only two hundred people watching.”

“Oh, you little-”

“ _Ladies and gentlemen,_ ” the band’s singer began, “ _please rise as we introduce for the first time… Mrs. Maxine Caulfield and Mrs. Victoria Chase!_ ”

Max immediately switched out her scowl for a smile as the curtains pulled back to thunderous applause. She settled for squeezing Victoria’s hand as tight as she could while the two of them walked into the reception, waving at their guests as they headed towards the dance floor.

The applause petered out as they got there. As soon as they faced each other, the band began, the women on the string instruments playing a soft melody that flowed through the room. Max did as Victoria suggested, taking the blonde’s waist and grabbing her free hand as they started dancing.

“Don’t slip and fall,” Victoria whispered maliciously. “We’ll never recover if you do.”

Max kept a smile plastered on her face. “Keep it up, and my first act as your wife is going to be jamming my heel into your foot.”

“Oh, wow.” A grin broke out on the blonde’s face. “That’s right. You’re my wife now, not just my fiancée.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “You’re just realizing that now?”

“No, I’m just now realizing the permanence.” Victoria adopted a smug look. “You’re stuck with me now. No take-backsies.”

“Mm.” Max let a smile play across her face. “I suppose I can live with that.”

“Oh yea?” Victoria smiled back. “You don’t think you’ll regret this in a few months?”

“Definitely not.” Max lowered her voice. “I’ve been looking forward to this for months. And I could rewind this moment over and over, for the rest of my life, and still be happy.”

Victoria’s face melted in emotion. “… shoot,” she murmured softly. “I don’t have anything that romantic in the bank.”

“I’ll settle for a kiss, then.”

“That, I suppose I can do.”

Victoria kissed Max softly on the lips, to the tune of several ‘awws’ throughout the room, which made both of them snicker in amusement. After a few seconds, laughter flowed from one side.

Max furrowed her brow as they separated. “What was that?”

Victoria grinned. “I popped my foot.”

“Classy.”

“Agreed.”

“ _Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, the brides would love it if they were joined on the dance floor,_ ” the band’s singer announced. “ _Grab your partner and come celebrate with the happy couple._ ”

They watched as several people got up from their seats to join them, including both sets of parents. It wasn’t long before the dance floor began to get crowded.

“Hey.” Victoria motioned with her chin. “Look.”

She turned to their long head table, where the bridesmaids were all sitting. They watched as Steph finished standing and looked pointedly across the two empty seats in the middle at Taylor. The other blonde stood after a few seconds, taking Steph’s hand as they made their way onto the dance floor with the others.

“Aww.” Max smirked. “That’s adorable.”

“I know.” Victoria nodded. “We should totally see if they want to do double-dates.”

“You think they’d be up for it?”

“Can’t think of a reason why they wouldn’t be.”

* * *

“You were right,” Warren agreed. “This is one hell of a party.”

Max grinned as she leaned against the glass wall. “Told you so.”

“And thank you, for giving us a room,” Brooke added. She was nestled into the crook of Warren’s arm, one hand around his waist as they talked. “This place is incredible.”

“Of course.” Max nodded. “How are things?”

Brooke glanced at Warren, as he shrugged. “We’re… pretty good,” he allowed. “Still going to counseling. But we’ll be fine.”

“Yea. I, uh, can’t thank you enough for that either.” Brooke hesitated. “Or for taking me back, after I was such a bitch. I don’t think anyone would’ve blamed you if you hadn’t.”

“Come on. I wouldn’t just leave you hanging, not when you needed help.”

“Still.”

“Are you okay, professionally?” Max asked. “I know you said they ended your probation.”

“Yea, they did.” Brooke hesitated. “But… the hospital administration still doesn’t like me. I’m pretty sure they’re not gonna offer me an attending spot when my residency is over.”

“So… what are you going to do?”

Brooke took a slow breath. “I’ve got a couple of options,” she allowed. “My new department head likes me enough, so I can stay on as a fellow for as long as she’ll tolerate me. Or I can get board-certified as a family practitioner, and try to join one of the nearby private practices.”

“You could still try and sit for the board while you’re in the ICU,” Warren reminded her.

“I probably will. Though I doubt it’ll change anything on the upper floors.”

He shrugged. “I think we’re being a little fatalistic about the whole thing,” he admitted. “Hospital staff comes and goes. Two of the board members who put her probation into effect have already left for greener pastures. So nobody really knows what the situation will be when our residencies are over.”

“And you?” Max asked him. “Are you still working in neurology?”

“Oh, yea.” He nodded quickly. “I’m staying regardless. Doctor Collins has already said that he wants me for his team next year.”

“So you weren’t set too far back?”

Brooke squirmed uncomfortably. Warren seemed to sense it, as he moved his hand to her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. “No,” he said. “Really, I wasn’t set back at all. I just… couldn’t jump forward as fast as I wanted to.”

“Sorry,” Brooke muttered.

“I know, babe.” Warren looked at her. “It’s okay.”

“Mm.” Max looked between them. “… I’m glad you guys are doing better. And I’m happy you two were able to make it up here.”

Warren scoffed. “For a super-fancy party with a free hotel room? No chance in hell we would’ve missed it.”

* * *

“That’s really him, isn’t it?”

Victoria cast a quick glance over her shoulder before she nodded. “Sure is.”

“Peter Kowalski.” Lynn took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she rubbed her palms together. The two of them were at the bar, conversing quietly. “Okay. Just any other guy, who happens to be worth three billion dollars.”

“Three-point-one,” Victoria corrected.

“I was rounding.”

“Don’t. Or if you do, don’t round down. These guys work their asses off for that money, and don’t appreciate it when people discount their worth.”

“Right.” Lynn licked her lips. “How do I look?”

“You’re fine. Calm down already.”

She scoffed. “Easy for you to say. You actually know this guy, and I’m just trying to low-key work a job offer out of someone.”

Victoria nodded towards the bartender. “Have a drink. It’ll steady your nerves.”

“I’ve already had two.”

“Then you’ll be fine. Just remember what you learned and try not to look like an idiot.”

“Really? Is that…” Lynn’s eyes flicked over Victoria’s shoulder. “Shit. Here he comes.”

“Then shut up and follow my lead.” Victoria immediately burst out laughing, putting her hand to her chest. “Oh my God, that is so classic!” she exclaimed. “Please tell me he learned his lesson!”

To Lynn’s credit, it only took a second for her to force a smile. “Why would he? It’s clearly worked for him before.”

A throat cleared behind Victoria before she could reply. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

She turned around, taking in the older man as her face brightened. “Peter! Oh my God, you still look as young as you did twenty years ago.”

He smirked. “Victoria, you’re a great liar.”

“It’s not a lie, it’s flattery. And I’ve heard that it’ll get you everywhere in life.”

“Well, it doesn’t hurt.” He spread his arms. “I can still get a hug, right?”

“You absolutely get a hug.” She embraced him tightly. “Thank you so much for coming. I was so excited when my father said you’d be here.”

“Of course.” He smiled as they separated. “I had to see for myself, that the little girl who used to throw rocks in my fountain was actually grown up. I refuse to believe that so much time has flown by.”

“God, that was such a long time ago,” she agreed. “How have you been doing?”

“Very well,” he allowed. “We’ve had some good years.”

“I heard. Actually, my friend here was just telling me that you were investing in Indonesia. Something about precious metals?”

Peter’s eyebrow arched. “Your friend was right,” he affirmed, as he looked at Lynn. “I’m sorry, have we met?”

“No, sir.” Lynn smiled brightly. “I’m sure I would’ve remembered if we had.”

“Peter, this is Lynn Marsh,” Victoria said as she gestured. “She works in finance here in Seattle. And she recognized you when you came in.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Miss Marsh.” He held out his hand for Lynn to shake, which she did quickly. “Although I can’t imagine that my business ventures make for very popular reading.”

“I heard about it in a podcast, actually,” Lynn corrected him. “I think it was back in October, or maybe November, when the Working Money podcast mentioned that you were investing in a local mining company.”

“Ah. I’m familiar with Working Money.” Peter looked amused. “Though I have to admit that I’m not a fan.”

“Neither was I, at first. I find Sara to be pretty arrogant, but she does have some interesting ideas.” Lynn paused. “On the other hand, I don’t think John knows as much about the Asian markets as he likes to believe. He seemed to think your investment was a waste of money.”

“You disagree?”

“I think the local Ministry of Energy and Environmental Resources just loosened their regulations for exploring certain areas in northern Nusa Tenggara,” Lynn replied smoothly. “I also think you’ve been involved in the industry for the past decade. And I think you know something that other people don’t.”

Peter hummed, as he leaned an elbow on the bar beside him. “I will neither confirm nor deny such an allegation.”

“Then I guess adding a few shares of your stock to my portfolio was a good idea.”

“Well, I’d certainly never say that it was a bad one.”

Lynn smirked. “Yes, Elon Musk did ruin that for everyone.”

“Lynn’s been helping Max and I work on our own investments,” Victoria explained to Peter. “She mentioned that your company was one to keep an eye on, in terms of growth. When I told her that you were going to be here, she didn’t believe me.”

“I still didn’t, until she pointed you out,” Lynn added, as she mirrored Peter’s stance and leaned her own elbow on the bar. “If I can, I’m curious about your interest in Myanmar. I saw on your Marketline strategy that you were interested in their precious stones.”

“Well, of course,” Peter agreed. “They are responsible for ninety percent of the world’s rubies, as well as others besides. We’ve been exploring a partnership with a few of their local mining conglomerates.”

“Can I offer my opinion?”

“Certainly.”

“You’re wasting your time.”

Peter tilted his head. “I’d be interested in hearing why you think so.”

“The ruling party is getting younger and younger,” Lynn explained. “And you have to remember, it was less than two decades ago that they were still governed by a military junta. There’s been a lot of pressure from younger legislatures to nationalize their mining industry, reducing the number of foreign investors, and the self-reliance movement has been gaining traction in their assembly.”

“You think it’ll happen?”

“I think I wouldn’t bet millions of dollars unless I knew for sure which way the wind was blowing.”

“Oh, shoot.” Victoria pretended to pout as she looked into the crowd. “Max is waving for me. I’ll be right back, Peter, you still need to introduce me to your wife.”

“Absolutely,” Peter agreed distractedly, before turning his attention back to Lynn. “Miss Marsh… can I call you Lynn?”

“Of course.”

“Lynn, then. Now I’m curious about where you’d bet millions of dollars if it was YOUR money.”

Victoria couldn’t keep a smug grin from her face as she slipped back into the crowd. _God damn, I am so fucking good._

* * *

“God, Max, you really did look like a princess.”

Max blushed. “… you think so?”

“Absolutely.” Joyce smiled as the two of them shared the table. The party was in full swing, and the so the two of them had found a quiet corner where they didn’t have to shout to be heard. “You looked stunning.”

“Thank you.” Max nodded. “And thanks for coming, it really means a lot.”

“Well, thanks for having us, kiddo.” Joyce leaned back in her seat. “So, what’s next?”

“In… what regard?”

“Life, I suppose.” Joyce smirked. “There any kids on the horizon?”

Max fidgeted nervously. “… I don’t know,” she admitted. “Maybe.”

“You guys haven’t talked about it?”

“We did, a little bit. Furthest we got was that with our businesses just taking off, it wasn’t a good time.”

Joyce tilted her head. “… do you want kids?”

“I…” Max paused. “I think so. And I’m pretty sure Victoria does, too. We probably should’ve talked about it a lot more.”

“Well, there’s plenty of time. No reason to discuss it now.”

“I guess not.” Max let out a slow breath. “What about you and David? What’s next for you guys now that he’s a cop?”

“Mm.” Joyce smirked. “Well, I’m a little old to have another kid. But we both agreed that we still want to raise one. So… we’re actually looking into adopting a child from foster care.”

Max’s eyebrows arched. “Really?”

“Yep. We’re pretty serious about it.”

“Wow! Joyce, that sounds amazing!”

“We thought so. David’s seen some pretty bad things with children, and he’s mentioned how many there are who need parental figures. And how many teenagers there are still in foster care, because they’re so hard to place.”

“You’re thinking about a teenager?”

“… sometimes,” Joyce admitted, glancing down at her hands. “Then I remembered the terrible job I did with Chloe.”

“Oh, Joyce.” Max bit her lip. “That wasn’t your fault.”

“Some days, it feels like it was.”

“Chloe…” Max hesitated. “She might have been more rebellious than anyone could’ve handled. And I know she wasn’t an easy girl to raise. But she did love you, even if she didn’t really know how to express it like she wanted to.”

Joyce looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know about that, Max.”

“I do.”

“No offense, sweetie, but… you didn’t see how she was.”

Max took a second to think quickly, about her response. “Maybe not,” she finally agreed. “But I heard about her from the people who knew her, after I left. I really do think she loved you. And that she probably would’ve learned to love David, too.”

Joyce sighed, looking back out into the party. Max followed her gaze and saw David in the middle of a conversation with Ryan and Vanessa. Her parents both laughed heartily as they spoke while sipping drinks at the bar. “I’d like to think so,” Joyce allowed. “He loved her, even if he wasn’t great at expressing it either. What happened left him heartbroken.”

“I can’t even imagine.”

“Well.” Joyce took a deep breath before looking back at Max. “I suppose we can guess all we want. I’m all for believing that everything would’ve turned out perfectly, so I guess that’s what I’ll stick with.”

“I think it would’ve,” Max agreed. “And that you two would be great parents to a teenager that needs it.”

“I hope so.” Joyce smirked. “God, I was just thinking about how Chloe would be if she was here. Probably tearing up the dance floor in some horrendous hair color.”

Max snorted. “And probably spending the entire night unironically referring to me as ‘your highness’.”

“Oh, let’s be real, Max. She would’ve been parked at the bar, trading shots with the other millionaires.”

“Yea, that’s way more likely.”

* * *

“Okay, I will admit that seeing you two like this is a little weird.”

Steph rolled her eyes as she sat beside Taylor, their shoulders touching as they sipped their drinks. “I figured it would be. I even said that to Max, back in Hawaii.”

“We both agreed that we don’t care, though,” Taylor added. “You wanted to embarrass us, so now you can deal with it.”

It was Victoria’s turn to roll her eyes. “I said I was sorry.”

“Even so.”

“Whatever.” She looked at Steph. “By the way, you look good without the beanie.”

“Hey, that’s what I said,” Taylor agreed, looking at Steph. “See? You should do it more often.”

“No.” Steph shook her head. “I’ve been wearing it since I was ten. I’m not ditching it. Besides, when I do wear it, I don’t have to put nearly as much effort into my hair.”

Victoria smirked. “Well, when you put it that way.”

Taylor chuckled as she reached around Steph’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly. “So where are you guys going for the honeymoon?” she asked. “Max mentioned that you were planning it but wouldn’t tell her anything about it.”

“Mm.” Victoria took a sip from her water glass. “You guys won’t tell her, right?”

“Of course not.”

“We’re going to New York City.” Victoria scooted her chair in closer, lowering her voice. “We’ve got a suite at the Langham for two weeks over the holidays. And I got us a private room overlooking Times Square on New Years Eve, so we can watch the ball drop without having to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the masses.”

“… shit,” Steph breathed. “Now I wanna go, too.”

Kate appeared from the crowd, making her way to the table and sitting down beside them. “You can really make introductions,” she mentioned to Victoria.

“Oh?”

“Yep. I don’t know what Lynn’s doing, but she’s been talking to those older guys for an hour now. Something about Indonesia and satellites that I couldn’t keep up with.”

Victoria smirked. “Sounds like she’s gonna land a job offer before the night’s over.”

“Maybe.” Kate pointed a finger at her. “If she leaves the area and goes someplace where I don’t see her more than once a year, I’m going to be very upset with you.”

“Hey, she’s the one who wanted to make buckets of money.”

* * *

The party went on for several more hours, and still showed no signs of slowing down.

Max had met so many people, she could barely remember all their names. And she was pretty sure she still hadn’t met them all. Eventually she decided that she needed fresh air, so she grabbed her cloak from the back of her chair and stepped outside.

The temperature had definitely dropped, but the estate had arranged several heaters in the outdoor patio area, so Max was comfortable enough as she leaned her arms on the railing and stared into the sky. The stars twinkled brightly, and if she squinted hard enough she imagined that she could see the outline of Mount Rainier.

After a few minutes, the door opened and closed behind her. Victoria appeared at her elbow shortly after. “Little much in there,” she offered.

“Pretty loud,” Max agreed, yawning into her fist. “Lot of people, too.”

“You sound tired.”

“A little bit.”

“Yea. It’s been a long day.” Victoria looked at her. “You’re gonna share that cloak, right?”

Max smirked before lifting the edge, draping it over Victoria’s other shoulder. The blonde maneuvered as close to Max as she could, taking one of her hands and interlacing their fingers. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“How’re you feeling?”

“Amazing.” Max smiled at her. “Overjoyed. Ecstatic. Exhausted.”

It was Victoria’s turn to smirk. “Told you we should’ve gone to bed earlier last night.”

“What time is it, anyway?”

“Little after midnight.” She shrugged. “My dad said we could leave whenever we wanted. We’re not really expected to do a going-away speech or anything.”

“Good, because I don’t think I have one in me.”

“That makes two of us.” Victoria paused. “I know it seemed like it took forever to get here. But… this day ended way too soon for my liking.”

Max nodded. “It did,” she agreed. “But I’m not that upset about it.”

“I am. For all the planning, this should’ve gone on longer.”

“It’s been going on all day.” Max glanced over her shoulder. “And it sounds like it’s gonna go on for most of the night, too.”

“I’m sure it will. These guys don’t get to do this very often, so they’re gonna make the most of it.” Victoria nodded. “I think I got Lynn a job, by the way.”

“Oh, that worked out?”

“Spectacularly.”

“Good for her. And you,” Max added, squeezing Victoria’s hand. “I’m sure she appreciated it.”

“Yea. Kate might be a little mad at us, though, for making her sister move away.”

“She’ll get over it.”

“Hope so.” Victoria looked at Max. “How are you feeling? Besides tired, I mean.”

Max hummed. “… it was really nice to see Joyce again,” she mentioned. “Her and David seem to be doing pretty good, all things considered. She mentioned that they were thinking about adopting a kid out of foster care.”

“Oh?”

“Yep. And Brooke seems to be doing well,” Max added. “Her and Warren were pretty close tonight. Their relationship has gotten a lot better.”

“Well, kicking a drug habit does wonders for a marriage,” Victoria lamented.

“It does.” Max looked sideways. “… we never came to a consensus on the ‘kids’ thing.”

“… no. We didn’t.” Victoria met Max’s gaze. “Have you given it more thought?”

“I have.” Max looked at her hand, the one she always used to rewind time, and slowly flexed her fingers. “I still don’t know if… what I have, whatever it is… can be passed on. And that thought still terrifies me.”

Victoria nodded slowly. “… I don’t know if being a drug addict can be passed on either,” she allowed. “Or whatever genetic anomaly I have that made me a fuckup to begin with.”

“You’re not a fuckup, Victoria.”

“Then you’ve clearly forgotten what I was like when we met.” Victoria scratched at the back of her hand. “In any case, we both have good reasons for how we feel.”

“I think mine’s better,” Max offered.

“Yea, probably.” Victoria inhaled slowly. “… but that doesn’t change what I said, last time we discussed it.”

Max blew air out through her nose. “I remember.”

“And I remember that you never gave an answer.” Victoria squeezed Max’s hand again. “I love you. I’ll love you no matter what you decide. But watching Kate with Alice, and watching how we interact with her… I still think that the two of us could raise a pretty amazing kid.”

She paused. “Well, mostly you,” she added. “I’m pretty sure I’d drop it or something.”

Max snorted. “I doubt it.”

“I don’t.”

“Right.” Max took a breath. “I guess we’ll never know until we try.”

Victoria blinked. “… was that a yes?”

“That was me leaning very heavily towards agreement.” Max looked at the blonde. “And agreeing that we should talk about this more. But I’m too exhausted to think right now.”

“Mm.” A conniving smile came over Victoria’s face. “… you’re not too exhausted for other stuff, are you?”

“Other stuff?” Max raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“It is our wedding night,” Victoria reminded her. “And I don’t know about you, but I had certain expectations about how it was going to end. Expectations that, if not met, will leave me very unsatisfied and disappointed.”

“Mm.” Max pursed her lips, before lifted her head and kissing Victoria’s cheek. “Then we should leave now, while I still have energy left.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

“You sure you don’t want to say goodbye to any of our-”

“Fuck ‘em.” Victoria tugged Max’s hand. “Elevator’s this way.”

* * *

Max found herself awake way earlier than she knew she was supposed to be.

Her eyes blearily opened to see Victoria’s face across the pillow, her fiancée breathing easily as she slept.

_No. Not fiancée._ Max glanced at her hand, the ring on her finger where Victoria had put it the day before. _We’re married now. She’s my wife._

_… oh my God, that felt so amazing to think about._ Max couldn’t help but smile. _We’re really married. Man, this is such an incredible feeling._

_And it’ll still be incredible later._ She closed her eyes, willing herself to fall back asleep.

Until the phone on their nightstand rang two minutes later. Max and Victoria both groaned as the blonde fished behind her blindly, eyes still closed. She eventually found the phone and lifted it to her ear. “Hello?” she answered sleepily.

A voice spoke through the handset, though Max couldn’t hear it.

“’Kay,” Victoria muttered. “Thanks.”

Max grunted as her wife hung up the phone. “Who was that?”

“The front desk.”

“Wha? What time is it?”

“Eight o’clock.”

“Mhm.” Max closed her eyes. “It’s too early for a wake-up call. What in the world did they want?”

“Nothing important.” Victoria nestled her head into the pillow. “They were just letting us know that the waffle bar downstairs is ready.”

It took a couple of seconds for the sentence to register, before Max’s eyes popped open. “The what?”

“Shh. Go back to sleep.”

“Did you just say that there’s a fucking waffle bar downstairs?!”

Victoria smirked, her eyes still closed. “I had Fiona set it up for the breakfast. Just like you wanted.”

Max sat up. “Are you serious right now?!”

“Yes. Now go back to sleep, you’re still tired.”

“Not anymore.” She threw the covers off the bed. “Get up. Get dressed. We’re going for breakfast.”

“Mm mm. All the different waffles, flavored syrups, and toppings will still be there later.”

“Not when I’m done with them, they won’t be.”

Victoria chuckled. “Does that mean I did good?”

“Babe, you did outstanding.” Max leaned over, resting her head next to Victoria’s. “This might be the best surprise you’ve ever given me. And if you take me to breakfast, right now, I will make what we did last night seem like a dress rehearsal.”

“… shit.” Victoria slowly opened her eyes. “I guess I could go for some food.”

* * *

**Lynn:** I owe you lunch. Or dinner. Or something.

**Victoria:** Did you get a job offer?

**Lynn:** That older guy, Mr. Jacobs? Someone from his office called me yesterday afternoon, asking if I’d be interested in joining his investment team.

**Lynn:** Offered six figures a year.

**Victoria:** You’re very welcome.

**Lynn:** Oh, no. That wasn’t the good part.

**Victoria:** It got better?

**Lynn:** Peter called me personally this morning, asking if I’d like to make a lot more than I’m making now. He thought I’d be an asset to the team he has working on their Asian expansion plan.

**Lynn:** I told him that I’d gotten an offer from Jacobs the previous day. As soon as I said that, he told me he’d pay thirty percent more, my moving expenses to New York City, AND bonuses proportionate to whatever profits I made for him.

**Victoria:** NICE!!

**Victoria:** And not surprising. Him and Jacobs HATE each other.

**Lynn:** They do? Why?

**Victoria:** Dunno. But their lover’s quarrel sounds like your gain.

**Victoria:** You did take the job, right?

**Lynn:** Fuck yes I took the job. I’m gonna start packing my stuff up tomorrow.

**Lynn:** While quietly having a full-scale anxiety attack.

**Victoria:** Why?

**Lynn:** I already spoke with my new boss. She said they’re gonna start me off small, with “only” a few million dollars to manage.

**Victoria:** That IS small.

**Lynn:** NOT TO ME

**Victoria:** Keep doing what you’re doing. Stay on top of the news and the market. I heard you talking to those guys, you sounded like a pro.

**Victoria:** They wouldn’t have fought over you if they didn’t think you could make them money.

**Lynn:** … so keep faking it until I make it?

**Victoria:** Look who’s starting to catch on.


	40. Pit'chures

**January 6 th, 2025**

“Wow, that’s an amazing view.”

“I know. It was incredible.” Max smiled as she flipped through the photos on her phone for Kate. “I always wanted to watch the ball drop, but I figured it would be from the street. Seeing it at eye level was mind-blowing.”

“It certainly looks- wait, was that your hotel room?”

“Oh, yea.” Max flipped the photos back. “How amazing is THAT view?”

“Holy…” Kate’s voice trailed off. “Okay, I might need to visit New York City at some point and stay there. If I can afford it, anyway.”

Victoria winced. “That suite was pretty pricey,” she allowed. “Probably not in everyone’s budget. Unless you just wanted it for one night.”

“Maybe, if I lived in my car for the rest of the trip.”

The three of them chuckled as they sat at the picnic table. Max and Victoria had come back from the honeymoon the day prior, and were visiting Kate at a park near her house. Alice was walking around the park taking pictures as they chatted by themselves. “So, now what?” Kate asked.

“Well, we were talking about possibly getting a house before,” Victoria answered. “And with the amount of money we got as wedding gifts, we can probably put a down payment on a really nice one.”

“You got that much?”

“SO much,” Max emphasized. “Like, a concerning amount, really.”

“Wow.” Kate smiled. “I’d tell you that it would be awesome, if you moved into this neighborhood, but I’m sure there are nicer houses you’ve got your eyes on.”

“Well, we did look in this neighborhood,” Victoria informed her. “We do like the area. But we’re actually really interested in the development going up just north of here.”

“The one they’re still building?”

“Yep.” She nodded. “If we commit to one of those houses, we can actually work with the builders and have them put in whatever upgrades we want.”

“Oh, that would be amazing,” Kate agreed. “And you’d be so close, we’d be like neighbors.”

“I know. We’d totally be over here all the time.”

“Sounds good to me.” Kate nodded. “Speaking of moving, I heard Steph and Taylor talking about living together.”

Max sat upright. “They were? When?”

“At breakfast after the wedding. While you were gorging yourself on all those waffles.”

“I did NOT eat that many.”

“Bullshit,” Victoria countered. “I counted at LEAST six or seven vanishing from your plate.”

“… okay, maybe I was a little distracted,” Max allowed. “Enough to not overhear them discussing living together, I suppose. Were they serious about it?”

“It sounded like it. Steph was wondering if Amazon made a smart waffle maker that Taylor could get ahold of.”

Max looked up in thought. “… probably not. But that sounds awesome.”

“That still seems quick.” Victoria hesitated. “Or maybe not. They did keep it a secret for a few months.” She glanced at Max. “We should totally start calling them Chandler and Monica.”

“Once, maybe,” Max agreed. “Any more than that probably isn’t funny.”

Alice wandered back to their table, her camera in one hand and a fist full of instant photos in the other. “Mom, I’m out of pit’chures,” she stated. “Can I have more?”

“You’re what?” Kate raised an eyebrow. “That was a brand-new film cartridge, young lady. Did you use them all up already?”

She nodded. “But I wanna take a pit’chure of Aunt Max and Aunt Victoria,” she complained.

“Then maybe you should’ve saved one. I don’t think we have any more back at the house.”

“Aw.” Alice pouted. “I want another pit’chure.”

“Me too,” Max agreed, pulling out her phone. “Come here, Alice. I want a picture with my favorite niece.”

“Okay!”

Alice ran around the table, jumping between Max and Victoria as the blonde gave her some room. Max held out her camera in selfie mode, making sure her, Alice, and Victoria were all in the photo. “Say cheese!”

“Cheese!!” Alice exclaimed, smiling brightly as Max snapped the photo.

“There you go.” Max lowered the phone. “I’ll make sure your mom gets a copy, okay kiddo?”

“Okay.” Alice hugged her. “Thank you, Aunt Max.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Alright.” Kate put her hands on the table and stood up. “Come on, let’s go home and have some lunch. I’m getting hungry."

“Me too,” Max agreed as she followed Kate, helping Alice out of the seat. “Oh, how about some pizza?”

“I want pizza!” Alice exclaimed. “Can we get the white pizza, Mom? From Larry’s?”

“I suppose so,” Kate allowed.

Victoria frowned. “What’s Larry’s?”

“It’s the nearby pizza parlor. Their white pizza is our favorite.” Kate nodded. “They use all fresh ingredients from the local farmer’s market. It’s probably the best pizza I’ve ever had.”

“Aunt Victoria, lookit!” Alice held up one of her photos. “I took a pit’chure of the flowers!”

“Oh, wow!” Victoria took the photo, studying it closely. “That looks great, kiddo!”

“Lookit here, this is the swings!”

Max smirked as they got to the sidewalk and turned towards Kate’s house. “How many photo cartridges do you go through a month?” she asked.

“Too many.” Kate sighed. “But she likes it.”

“These look really good, Alice!” Victoria showed Max the photos in her hand. “What do you think, babe?”

“I think they look amazing.” Max smiled at Alice. “You wanna be a photographer just like your Aunt Victoria?”

“Yea!” Alice shuffled through the pictures in her hands. “Look, here’s-”

A gust of wind swept in as they neared the corner. Before any of them could do anything, all of the photos blew out of Alice’s hands.

“MY PIT’CHURES!!” Alice yelled, as she scampered forward. She darted between two parked cars into the road to chase after them. “NO!!”

As she did, Max heard the rumble of an approaching engine. She barely noticed the white pickup truck driving up behind them.

“ALICE!” Kate screamed, running forward. “ALICE, GET OUT OF THE-”

* * *

Max could barely process what happened next. It felt like her mind shut down.

The sickening _thump_ as the truck made contact, heard crystal-clear over the sounds of squealing brakes as the driver tried to stop.

How the one tire lifted, before coming back down as it rolled over the sudden obstacle.

Kate screaming.

It might’ve been Victoria screaming.

It might’ve been her screaming. She wasn’t sure. It was probably all three of them.

The pink jacket stained red.

Max didn’t think. She didn’t process any clear thoughts. The primal, immediate urge to fix everything overtook her before she could fully comprehend what had just happened.

Her right hand flew out, and she grabbed hold of time as quickly as she could.

* * *

She came back with a gasp, freezing in place as Victoria was talking.

“-look really good, Alice!” Victoria turned to show her the photo. “What do you th…” 

Her wife’s voice trailed off as she got a look at Max’s face. Max tried to suck in a breath, but she couldn’t. The air felt like cement, as she looked at Victoria with what she could only guess was a horrified and slightly out-of-focus facial expression.

The gust of wind swept in, knocking all of the pictures from Alice’s hands. “MY PIT’CHURES!!” she yelled, as she ran forward. “NO!!”

Max bolted, brushing past Kate as Alice began darting between the two parked cars. It felt like her feet barely touched the ground. She could hear the approaching truck as she threw herself over the hood of the closer car, one hand outstretched.

She barely got a grip on the back of Alice’s jacket before she pulled as hard as she could. Alice yelped as she was jerked backwards, her feet flying up just as the truck’s brakes started squealing. She was so close that Max watched the toe of her sneaker bump into the truck’s tire as she flew backwards.

“ALICE!!” Kate screamed, materializing beside Max as she grabbed her daughter’s jacket, yanking her back onto the sidewalk. It looked like all the blood had left her face as she let out quick, shallow breaths of shock. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

“I- I- I-”

“NEVER run into the road!” Kate grabbed her daughter’s shoulders, squeezing tightly as she yelled in her face. “Don’t ever, EVER do that again! That car almost hit you!”

Alice’s face screwed up, between the fear of what had just happened and her mother yelling at her, and she started crying.

“Oh my God.” Kate immediately wrapped Alice in a bone-crushing hug as she let out shaky breaths. “God, oh my God, that was so close.”

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” Alice bawled.

“Shh, shh. It’s okay.” Kate swallowed, hard, her eyes squeezed shut. She opened them as Max slowly climbed off the hood of the car, the brunette still hyperventilating. “Thank you, Max. Oh my God, you saved her life. Thank you so much.”

Max didn’t say anything as she watched Kate squeeze Alice, the child continuing to cry into her mother’s shoulder.

_… I saved her._

The horror of what she’d seen before was slowly replaced by a cold pit developing in her stomach. She silently looked at Victoria, who was standing frozen on the sidewalk. The blonde looked mutely with wide eyes, between Max and Alice.

_I saved her life._

_I rewound and saved her life._

Max’s hyperventilating began to quicken.

_… oh my God, what have I done?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this feels like a good place to leave off :)
> 
> As per usual, stay subscribed. I'll post Pt III when it's ready.
> 
> Until then.


	41. Pt III

... is still a work in progress.

But I posted chapter one. So that's something.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27812182/chapters/68090119


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